Part 5 (2/2)
”Treason!” croaked Laura, observing Nan's encouragement of the candidate.
”Have a care, sawney,” declared Amelia Boggs sternly. ”A false step and you are lost! The ravening sea is below you. Feel the spray das.h.i.+ng in your face!”
Quick as a flash the girl with the dipper filled her palm with water and threw it upward. It spattered into Rhoda's face and she jerked back her head.
The motion destroyed the balance she had gained. She uttered a stifled e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.o.n and wavered again. Laura stretched out a hand and wickedly nudged the victim.
”Oh, don't!” yelled Nan, and she leaped down upon the mattresses.
Rhoda completely lost her equilibrium. She uttered another scream and stepped out into s.p.a.ce.
”Man overboard!” shouted Laura.
And as Rhoda fell the girl with the dipper flung its contents over the flying figure of the new girl.
CHAPTER V
RHODA IS UNPOPULAR
The blindfolded Rhoda came down so awkwardly that Nan feared she would be hurt. The girl from Tillbury screamed a warning--which was useless.
But in that exciting moment Nan noted something that afterward gave her a sidelight upon Rhoda Hammond's character. As the Western girl felt herself going she s.n.a.t.c.hed off the blindfolding towel.
Self-possession! Rhoda owned that attribute, largely developed. She was cool, if angry.
When she landed on the padded platform, she fell on her knees, and the fall must have jarred her. But she was up in a flash, and the girl with the dipper, Minnie Wolff, found herself in the muscular grasp of Rhoda's arms.
”There, now, I've had enough of this foolishness!” snapped the Western girl, limping toward the platform steps. ”I've wrenched my knee, and I should hope you'd be satisfied. I want nothing more to do with your baby plays! I came to Lakeview Hall to study and learn something--”
”Oh, you are going to learn something all right,” drawled Laura, interrupting Rhoda's angry speech. ”But I can see it is going to take you some time, Miss Rhoda Hammond. You are going to have a nice time here!”
Rhoda pushed through the group of girls with blazing face. Her eyes were hard and dry. She had evidently hurt her knee quite badly, for she could not walk without limping. Nan ran after her.
”Oh, Rhoda, don't take it so,” she begged in a whisper. ”It will make it so much harder for you.”
”I don't care!”
”But you want to be friends with us.”
”With those girls?” repeated Rhoda, in scorn. ”Not much!”
”Oh, yes, you do. Every one of them is nice.”
”They act so.”
”They are!” reiterated Nan. ”And you made Minnie cry.”
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