The entertainment was to take place in the evening, after preparation, and on the afternoon of the day in question the Fifth Form took sole and absolute possession of the barn, turning everybody else out, even those indignant enthusiasts who were at work at the wood-carving bench.
“Mind, our tools haven’t got to be touched, or we’ll have something to say!” called out Daphne as she made an unwilling exit.
“I shall put them all in the box!” returned Morvyth, slamming the door.
The wood-carving bench had to serve as refreshment table, so it was cleared with scant ceremony, in spite of Daphne’s protest; a clean cloth, borrowed from the cook, was spread upon it, and plates of cakes and biscuits, and packets of chocolates, were laid out as attractively as possible, with vases of flowers between.
Raymonde, who was nothing if not inventive, suddenly evolved a new and enterprising scheme.
“We must have a platform!” she decided. “Come along to the wood pile, and we’ll get some packing-cases and put railway sleepers over them. It won’t take us long!”
It turned out a more strenuous business than she had anticipated, however, for it was difficult in the first place to find packing-cases of the 248 same height, and more difficult still to get the railway sleepers to fit neatly together on the top of them.
“I hope it’ll hold up!” said Aveline dubiously, when the erection was at last complete.
“Oh, it’ll just have to hold!” returned Raymonde in her airiest manner. “I think it’s nicer than a stiff platform, and more suitable for a barn. It looks really ‘coony’, and suggests the Wild West, and log-cabins, and all that sort of thing.”
Immediately after preparation, the coons retired to make final arrangements in the barn. The big stable lanterns were lighted and hung up for purposes of illumination, and a cauldron of water was set upon the oil cooking-stove. It was a horrible scramble, for time was short, and they still had to change their dresses. Everyone seemed in everybody else’s way, and each gave directions to the others, though nobody was in authority, and all got decidedly cross and snapped at one another.