"It is indeed," said Janie; "especially as Honor has had to bear the blame. It isn't the first time she has acted scapegoat for you!"
"I know what you mean," sobbed Flossie. "Vivian thought it was she who shammed ghost that night when I played a trick upon Evelyn Fletcher. I didn't intend to get Honor into trouble. I was very sorry about it; still, what could I do?"
"Do! Why, you ought to have told Vivian at once. Any girl with a spark of honour would have known that."
"You'd better make a clean breast of everything now," suggested Lettice.
"I daren't! I daren't!" cried Flossie, in an agony of alarm.
"I don't believe you need be afraid of Miss Maitland," said Janie. "You've only taken the sovereign by accident. She would be far more angry with you for not owning up."
"If you don't tell her, I shall go to her myself," threatened Lettice.
It was dreadfully difficult to screw Flossie's courage up to the required point. She declared she could not and would not make the necessary confession.
"I'll write to my mother to send for me to go home, and it can come out after I'm gone," she declared.
Lettice lost her temper and indulged in hard words, which, so far from altering Flossie's decision, only made her more obstinately determined. Fortunately, Janie had greater patience.