"I have," she said quietly, "but I'll have to work harder still, and
I'm willing to, if I have to work day and evening."
"Oh, Uncle John!" cried Rose, "she won't have to do that. Her lessons are almost perfect now. A little more study, and she will easily be at the head of the class."
It was announced that day at school that Captain John Atherton had offered a prize for the best average, and Sprite gasped when the teacher said;
"The prize is well worth working for. It is a large prize for any boy or girl to win. It is fifty dollars in gold! Now work for it! You will all gain by trying, for while but one can win the prize, every scholar who works for it, has higher scholarship, and has acquired more knowledge than if he had not entered the competition."
The pupils were greatly interested, and it was evident that many intended to strive for the prize. Harry Grafton, on the way home from school, turned quickly to look at Rob as he asked;
"What's Gwen Harcourt doing these days?"
"I've no idea," Rob answered in a careless manner, and if he had spoken his thoughts, he would have said that he did not greatly care.
"Well, she's not going to school, and what is queerer than that, she isn't coming over here to tell us all about it," Harry said.
There were other matters of greater interest to be talked of, and the two boys soon forgot Gwen.
Gwen Harcourt never allowed herself to be long forgotten, and one bright afternoon, she decided to run off by herself and have a little fun of the kind that she liked best.