"Why, we must go to Parker's directly school's over, and take the parcel with us."
"I shall miss the bus!"
"You can't help that; you must catch the next."
"I shall have to dodge Winnie and Lesbia."
"Dodge them, then, and make up some excuse for missing the bus. You can say I kept you."
"How much do you think the china will cost?"
"I haven't the least idea; it depends how much is broken."
"Netta, you won't tell a soul about this, will you?"
"Tell! Am I likely to tell? No, you and I are in the same boat, and we must shield each other. I wouldn't trust anybody in the school. One never knows how things are talked about and get round from the most unlikely quarters. Whatever happens, this mustn't reach Miss Roscoe's ears."
The motor omnibus started at 4.20, and as a rule the Gascoynes had quite a scramble to rush off and catch it. To-day Gwen managed to avoid Winnie and Lesbia, and waiting until they were safely off the premises, she went with Netta to the pantry. Emma was not there, but they found the parcel behind the door and appropriated it, Gwen hiding it carefully under her waterproof. Parker's china store was in the principal street of the town, nearly a quarter of an hour's walk from Rodenhurst. When the girls arrived there, several customers were in the shop, so that they had to wait a little before anyone could attend to them.