Especially was the neighborhood of Central High mostly of that comfortable residential quality that is the charm of most old towns.

Central High was the new school, East and West Highs being both smaller and much older buildings.

This middle of the city was called "on the hill" and was really much higher than the surrounding flatland where the business section of the city had originally been built. Two railroads ran into the town and its water freighting was considerable.

At the westerly end of beautiful Luna Lake Rocky River flowed into it at Lumberport, another thriving city; at the easterly end of the lake the waters flowed out through Rolling River at Keyport. These smaller cities each supported a good High School, and the rivalry in boys' sports among the five schools of this district had always been keen.

Now it was proposed that the girls should strive for the honor of the schools and it was reported from Lumberport and Keyport that the Girls'

Branches had been organized in the high schools of those towns with great enthusiasm. Centerport's East and West schools were slower to respond. Central High usually led the way in most innovations.

The knoll on which Central High and the surrounding residences stood sloped easily toward the sh.o.r.e of the lake. Along the lake sh.o.r.e, although it was in the very heart of the city, lay several fine estates.

The city was slowly condemning some of these and turning them into public parks and playgrounds. Here the three high schools had their bathing pavilions, and it was also at this point that Central High had been fortunate in obtaining the field to be devoted to the girls'

athletics.

This was a convenient location for all the scholars attending Central High, a breezy piece of ground with a splendid outlook over the lake and to Cavern Island, in its center. Cavern Island was an immensely popular picnic ground, and in the summer season excursion boats that plied the lake made landings at it. But a portion of the island was wild and woody enough to please the most romantic.

Whiffle Street was shaded with great elm trees. Indeed, all that vicinity of Central High was shady and quiet. Almost all the houses on the street had lawns and well-kept gardens. Henry Grimes's house-much more ornate and imposing than the Beldings' home-stood three or four blocks along the street from where Laura and Chet lived.

The nominating committee of the M. O. R.'s appeared in Whiffle Street just about dusk. They had already gathered most of the girls selected for initiation, and quite a column of laughing young people walked, two by two, behind their four sponsors.

They brought forth Josephine Morse from her mother's little cottage at the end of the street-"the poverty end" Jess always called it-and then approached the Belding house. Laura was on the porch, eager enough; she had noticed ere they arrived, however, an unaccountable gathering of freshmen and other girls farther along the street-toward the Grimes house. Bobby was with that crowd, and much laughter came from it.

"I wonder what those children can be up to?" wondered Laura.

But when the head of the procession of candidates for M. O. R. honors appeared, Laura forgot the freshies and Bobby and ran down the walk to join the older girls; Miss Prime had beckoned to her.

"Fall in line, Miss Belding," commanded the senior, and Laura did so.

The procession continued along the street, followed by the laughing comments of the adults who leaned upon the gates, or sat on the porches of the houses it pa.s.sed. At the Grimes's gate the crowd of freshmen opened solemnly to let the older girls through.

Upon the Grimes's porch stood Hester and Lily. Indeed, Hester ran down the steps when the head of the M. O. R. candidates reached the gate. But the procession kept right on. Neither Miss Prime, nor Mary O'Rourke, or the other two seniors looked Miss Grimes's way.

"Why, I thought you said you were touched, Hessie?" cried Lily, in her high drawl.

There was immense giggling on the part of the freshmen crew outside the gate. But Bobby hushed it by a sharp:

"Attention!"

Silence followed among the crew. Bobby stepped forward, drew a baton be-ribboned like those carried by the nominating committee of the M. O. R. She raised it on high. It was noticeable that most of her companions had bits of paper in their hands; from these papers they proceeded to chant the following:

"Where Bedelia wore her necklace Where the cow had tonsilitis Where the chicken got the hatchet Where the graceful swan's delight is "Oh!

"Where the fat man's collar pinches Where the hangman ties the noose Where the lady wears the boa Where the farmer grabs the goose "Oh! Oh!

"Where Napoleon received it When he fought at Waterloo, In that very same location Little Hester got it, too!

"Oh! Oh! Oh-ho-ho!"

The procession of candidates pa.s.sed on; but they heard, and the whole street heard! And for fear anybody should fail to understand the trick that had been played upon the unfortunate daughter of the wholesale butcher, Bobby cried:

"Notice my baton? Don't you want to be 'touched' with it, too, Lily? Oh, my!"

Hester could not even speak. She ran into the house to escape the laughter. Never had Bobby Hargrew played so cruel a joke. But she had been stung pretty hard by the false testimony Hester had given against her anent the fire at the school; and for once Bobby had not been above "getting square."

But had the girl known what would result from this practical joke of hers-had she for a moment suspected how one of her very best friends would be caused to suffer for _her_ sin, honest Bobby would have gone to Hester Grimes there and then and most humbly begged her pardon.

CHAPTER XI-THE MAN ON THE SPIRE

Walking was included in the athletics approved by the Girls' Branch and the girls of Central High did not have to wait for the athletic field to be put into condition before they took part in this most accessible and perhaps wisest of all physical exercises.

Many a famous athlete has kept himself in perfect training for years by little more than a straight-away walk of a few miles each day. Walking brings into play more muscles than almost any other exercise-and muscles that are of "practical" use, too. Mrs. Case had planned for eight walks during each school year for both her elementary and advanced cla.s.ses.

For the younger girls the longest walk was not over three miles. The advanced girls, however, after training by much walking on Sat.u.r.days, were advanced steadily from two, to three, then four, then six, then eight, and finally to a ten mile walk. Only those girls of the soph.o.m.ores, juniors and seniors in the best physical condition were allowed to take these longer walks.

On the Sat.u.r.day after "touching day" of the M. O. R. came the first of the two mile walks to be carried out that season. The girls gathered at the schoolhouse at two o'clock and Mrs. Case looked them over carefully.

"Miss Morse, I cannot approve of those shoes. I have told you before that any girl is foolish to wear high heels and attempt to keep up any pace in walking," was the athletic instructor's comment.

"But, Mrs. Case! these are only Cuban heels," cried poor Jess.

"That makes no difference. Some girls might be able to wear that heel with comfort. Not you, Miss Morse. Your instep is not high enough. You are cramping your foot. First thing you know your arches will begin to fall. Then you will know what suffering is, young lady. It is bad shoeing that makes so many people suffer from 'flatfoot.' Haven't you a pair of comfortable shoes in your locker?"

"Yes, ma'am," admitted the girl who followed the fashions so a.s.siduously.

"And what's that on your face, Miss?"

"P-p-powder!" stammered Jess, while some of the other girls giggled.

"Well, powder on one's face may be all right if one has a greasy, coa.r.s.e skin. But I did not think your complexion was of that nature. Take a little of it off, please. We don't wish to attract any more attention than possible going through the street. Next thing, I suppose, some of you girls will begin to use rouge-pah!"

Some of the other girls rubbed their own cheeks and noses on the sly.

And some smiled knowingly at Lily Pendleton. Lily's face to-day was almost as highly colored as that of her chum, Hester. But Hester's complexion was naturally red and coa.r.s.e, whereas ordinarily Lily had no more color than the flower for which she was named.

Mrs. Case chanced to overlook Miss Pendleton's rosy cheeks, however, and they filed out of the school house, Mrs. Case walking with the last girl.

Laura and Jess were ahead, for they knew the route selected. There was no attempt in any of these walks to make fast time; nor did the instructor allow them to stroll. The idea was to go at a comfortable, straight-away pace, and to rest when tired. The pace was that at which the least active girl could walk comfortably.

At the resting points Mrs. Case usually gave little lectures upon the exercise, or discussed questions of athletics, or informed the girls upon historical points or public buildings which they pa.s.sed. This day the route lay down the hill, across Market Street, and out through the east end of the city.

At the corner of Rowan Street they pa.s.sed a big open lot where boys were flying kites. There was a brisk wind and one youngster was just putting into the air a kite which the girls watched for a few moments. But there was something much more interesting going on a couple of blocks beyond.

There had been a heavy thunderstorm during the week and lightning had damaged the steeple of St. Cecelia's Episcopal Church a few feet below the apex. How much damage had been done the masonry could not easily be learned without making a close examination and the fire insurance adjuster had sent a professional steeple climber to make it.

Quite a crowd had gathered in the square to watch the work of this expert, and as the girls came up the steeple-jack had just pa.s.sed out at the belfry at the foot of the spire. Two men came with him to set up and hold a ladder which reached some distance up the steeple.

The man mounted this ladder very quickly. At the top he pa.s.sed a rope around his body and around the steeple, and then began to work upward.

It looked like a very dangerous feat, and the girls were all interested in it. He mounted steadily and soon reached the place where the lightning had struck. Here his progress ceased and he seemed to be trying to adjust the rope.