Part 29 (1/2)

Not so Nan. She tossed about for a long time ere she could find oblivion. Her conscience p.r.i.c.ked her, and a p.r.i.c.kly conscience is just as unhappy a bedfellow as a porcupine would be.

What would ”Momsey” and ”Papa Sherwood” say if they heard of this escapade? Nan realized that she had done wrong in yielding to the seductive suggestion of the secret supper. She might have given her girl friends a treat in some way that would not have broken the school rules.

She was sorry, very sorry indeed, that she had done this. More than a few tears wet Nan Sherwood's pillow before she finally dropped asleep.

Nor had she found relief from this feeling of depression the next morning, when she went alone to Dr. Prescott's office.

This was the first time Nan had been sent to interview the princ.i.p.al of Lakeview Hall for any such reason. She had quite fallen in love with Dr.

Beulah Prescott on the evening of her arrival at the school; and Nan Sherwood was of too truly an affectionate disposition to hurt or offend anybody whom she loved.

”Dear, dear, Nancy Sherwood,” said the princ.i.p.al, in a worried way. ”I never expected to receive such a report about you, of all my new girls.

Leader of a party of girls that steals out of the Hall after bedtime, feasts on contraband eatables--Ahem! where's the list of this 'forbidden fruit'? Here it is! Sandwiches, salad, cake, chocolate and coffee, ice-cream. Dear me! dear me! what will your digestions be like if you keep on in this way?”

”I don't know, Dr. Prescott,” Nan said faintly, as the preceptress halted for breath.

”I see no pickles, olives or cheese on the bill-of-fare,” said the doctor, lowering her lorgnette. ”How is that? A schoolgirl picnic without those delectables?”

”My--my money didn't hold out,” confessed Nan, her eyes suddenly dancing. Dr. Prescott was not proving so difficult, after all.

”Mrs. Cupp reports only you for punishment,” said the princ.i.p.al, after a momentary smile. ”Don't you think the others deserve punishment, too?”

”No, Dr. Prescott,” Nan was prompt to say. ”It wouldn't have happened, and the other girls would not have been down there at the boathouse, if it hadn't been for me.”

”Well, possibly that may be so. That was Mrs. Cupp's opinion, and we will let it rest at that. Also, Mrs. Cupp recommended you to mercy, Nancy.”

This surprised Nan a good deal. She had not thought the stern matron was given at all to mercy.

”Nevertheless, we must show our disapproval of such reprehensible actions,” continued Dr. Prescott. ”You are sentenced to solitary recreation hours for a week. On your honor, remember. No conversation with the other girls, save in study and recitation hours, until a week from to-day. Remember! Not even with Miss Harley. That is all, Nancy.”

CHAPTER XXIII

A STRANGE ADVENTURE

It really seemed awfully funny.

Nan went about with sealed lips save when she had to ask a question of a neighbor in study hour or in cla.s.s. Even in Room Seven, Corridor Four, there was silence. Bess was at first amused, then disgusted, then indignant.

”Why! whoever heard the like?” she cried. ”Not to speak? Goodness! Why, I never had so many things to say to you in my life before, and you sit as dumb as one of those j.a.panese monkeys,” and she pointed to the tiny ”Hear No Evil, See No Evil, Speak No Evil” group on Nan's bookshelf.

At first Nan only smiled at her chum's impatience. But soon she found it necessary to steal off by herself during recreation time. The temptation to speak was too great.

Nor did Bess try to make it easier for Nan to keep strictly to the line of punishment that had been inflicted upon her by Dr. Beulah Prescott.

Bess began to take a wicked delight in catching her off her guard and getting a word past Nan's lips before she thought.

”Oh bah!” cried the careless Bess. ”What does it matter? We're in our own room. Dr. Beulah knows very well you won't stick to the very letter of her command.”

Nan felt differently about it. The princ.i.p.al had trusted her to keep her lips sealed during recreation hours; and she tried as much as possible to keep by herself. ”Solitary recreation hours for a week.” That was Dr.