“The mean old thing! The spying, prying old thing!” said Florence. “She is always prowling round and eaves-dropping. The contemptible old sneak!”
To all this Nora, her informant, assented,—for Miss Forester was no favourite; but such epithets, though they might possibly act as a safety-valve for Florence’s indignation, were powerless to extricate the culprits from their dilemma.
It was in vain to look for counsel from Carrie; she was too much frightened to be of the least service: indeed, it seemed to afford her great relief when Florence, nerving herself up for the penalty, exclaimed,—
“There’s one consolation, Carrie. They can’t kill us! For even Miss Forester—though I’ve no doubt she’d be glad to do it—can’t make it out a hanging-matter. At worst, it will only be the State’s prison for life!”
“How can you talk so?” said Susan. “I believe you would make fun of any thing.”
“We may as well laugh as cry,” retorted Florence. “We’re in for it. There’s one thing certain, though: I won’t give Miss Forester the satisfaction of thinking that I care a straw about it, or that I’m afraid of her.”
On Mr. Worcester’s return, the facts were duly laid before him. The girls were sent for into his study.
It was useless to attempt any defence of their conduct; and so Florence wisely said nothing. Carrie could only cry; and perhaps her distress touched their teacher’s heart, for after some deliberation he sentenced them to the loss of all holidays for four weeks; and during that time they must not go out of the school-grounds.
This was so much better than they had expected, that the delinquents left him with a light heart. But, though at first it seemed a slight punishment, it proved to be a severe one; for soon after Miss Fanny called with an invitation for them to go on a picnic, which she had arranged on a holiday expressly for the sake of their being able to attend.
She interceded with Mr. Worcester for a reprieve, but in vain; and, as she was expressing her sorrow and disappointment on leaving without them, Miss Forester passed.