human
I can't stop now, darling; but I'll tell you what, I'll come after tea to-morrow, as we can't go to the match.
gpt
What _is_ the matter?
human
You'll never guess. It is about the limit. Here have Doris Redburn and Roma Kirke been insinuating that it was _I_ who broke into the Lab.
gpt
What? You!
human
They said I was always grousing about stinks and saying how I hated the Professor--of course, that's a true bill. And they said I didn't care what rows I got into. That's a true bill as well. I don't care. I rather wish I had done that Lab business--only Gabrielle is so stuffy about things like that--but if I had, I simply _couldn't_ hold my tongue and have the whole Coll punished, even if telling meant getting expelled.
gpt
Of course you couldn't, Joey burst out, furious for her friend.
human
Who are saying it--Doris and Roma? I'll just go and tell them what I think about their hateful untruthful cheek....
gpt
No, stop! Noreen cried, catching her arm as she whirled by.
human
It's no good just going for those two--they say lots of girls think it. Wonder if Miss Conyngham does too?
gpt
said Joey hotly.
human
She'd jolly well know you couldn't be a mean outsider, whatever else you might be. But I do wish the Professor hadn't gone and stirred her up like this. If he hadn't been so cock-sure he saw a girl, it might have been supposed to be the cat.
gpt
It's pretty beastly anyway. One of our crowd is behaving like a rotten outsider, and her rotten outsiderishness is being fastened upon me. It is rough luck.
human
Let me just go for that Doris girl--she's much the worst,
gpt
What's the good?
human
Why on earth couldn't the Professor go to bed and stay there, instead of messing round and spoiling the hockey-match for us all? I'm jolly glad he's leaving at the end of the month, she concluded vindictively;
gpt
If only he hadn't been so sure about the girl, Joey repeated, frowning.
human
It's that makes Miss Conyngham so stiff about it--otherwise she'd just take our words.
gpt
I think she ought to, anyway. Just think of the match, and Redlands perhaps pulling it off for the first time for six years, and not one of us there!
human
P'r'aps the girl will own up in time,
gpt
Not she. She would have done it long ago if she meant to. She's probably a beastly slacker, who doesn't care two pins about hockey....
human
Nor the Coll,
gpt
I've a good mind to go to the match after all--are you game, Joey? Noreen said suddenly.
human
Oh yes, I know there'll be the father and mother, not to mention the aunts and uncles of a good old row; but one may just as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb. If they're going to suspect me of beastly things like this----
gpt
It would be heavenly, Noreen; but we can't--you know we can't. Besides, everyone's dying to go.
human
If I could get hold of that skunk of a girl! growled Noreen, and then her eyes lit up again with a dangerous gleam.
gpt
Tell you what, Joey; I've a precious good mind to say I did do it after all; and then the others will be allowed to go anyway.
human
Noreen!
gpt
Oh, of course. I shall tell Miss Conyngham that I didn't--afterwards--when it's too late to matter. You're right about the other thing; it would be rather skunkish when everyone is dying to go. But I'd give them the chance this way. Oh, I know it's an awful thumper, but they shouldn't put it into my head by hinting that I did the crime and lay low.
human
No one would believe you did it, Joey urged, grasping at a straw.
gpt
No one to count, at least--who cares for silly idiots like Doris and Roma?
human
Wouldn't they? I've got a truly Irish reputation here.
gpt
Well, no one could believe you wouldn't tell for a whole fortnight when everyone was being punished, anyway.
human
Doris and Roma hinted that quite a lot of people found it easy enough to believe, Noreen said bitterly.
gpt
No, shut it, Joey; I've settled, I'm going to do it. You ought to be pleased; you'll be able to go to your cousin's again--didn't you say they'd asked you for Sunday?
human
Don't be a pig, Noreen!
gpt
Pax, old thing, I didn't mean it. Of course, you won't like my doing it, I know; but it _is_ a way out. Get Gabrielle to take Syb for her other friend if she will; Syb's wild to go....
human
Noreen, will you promise, honour! not to go telling Miss Conyngham you were the one till after Prep at least? poor Joey urged in desperation.
gpt
Oh, do promise, Noreen.
human
What's the good of waiting, you cuckoo?
gpt
Oh, the real girl might speak--or I might find a way out.
human
The cheek of you! Because you got a scholarship, you think....
gpt
Oh, talk sense, Noreen; of course I don't. Only I might find a way. Promise!
human
Righto. Till after Prep, then, but not a minute longer. Understand.