The Upper Fifth, as a whole, freely gave their opinions on this new entry for the Richoter. Duane, they said, though a slacker, was undoubtedly clever at some things, and would be a worthy opponent for Salome and Eileen Gilbert and the other five or six candidates. Whereupon Kitty, her enthusiasm for her house catching fire from that of the girls of Sheerston's, Prince's and Green's, called out in her clear, decided way, a remark which she would afterwards have given worlds to have left unsaid, though it meant little or nothing at the time.
"Duane will be something more than a worthy opponent to your girls. She's going to win that prize, and we're going to use every means in our power to bring it off. You mark my words."
"I say, Kitty," remonstrated Hilary, a little later, "you needn't be so deadly certain that Duane will win the Richoter."
Kitty laughed. "When I hear the other houses boasting that one of their own girls is practically sure of the prize, I simply have to up and boast a bit for our poor old house. No one else will."
"Oh yes, that's all right. Only if Duane doesn't get it, you'll be twitted no end," warned Hilary.
"Pooh! I can stand that. Besides, Duane isn't going to lose. Why, this is Carslake's Great Opportunity!" Several other girls, passing by, caught the last two sentences and smiled, half amusedly, half curiously, at Kitty's emphatic words and tone.
There were only three weeks before the exam, but as all students know, quite a lot of swotting can be done in three weeks if it doesn't matter about neglecting other things. The Carslake seniors were as good as their word. "Even better," as Duane remarked dryly, to which Margaret said reproachfully, "Why, I do believe we're more enthusiastic over it than you are!"
"Especially Kitty," returned Duane, with a half-mocking, half-quizzical glance at Kitty that made her flush hotly.
The other prefects, Hilary and France, willingly took upon themselves disciplinary duties which usually fell to the head prefect's lot, in order to give her more time for study. Kitty industriously copied out lists of game practices, weekly reports, notices of sports or debate meetings, and similar things which were part of the head girl's routine, while much of Duane's ordinary preparation was excused. All this help was accepted by the head prefect readily enough, until it came to assistance in early morning rising. Hilary and Kitty held themselves responsible for seeing that she was out of bed ten minutes before rising bell, dressed by the time the bell rang, and ready for three-quarters of an hour's hard study before breakfast. To this Duane most strongly objected, using the passive form of resistance, and it says much for the patience and firmness of Hilary and Kitty that, right up to the exam itself, Duane was downstairs every morning soon after the rising bell.
It must be admitted, however, that to achieve this record, Hilary had to resort to a novel stratagem suggested by Kitty's fertile brain. This was the innocent plan of tying one end of a piece of cord round Duane's ankle after she was in bed, and letting the other end hang by Hilary's bedside. Thus a good strong pull from Hilary woke Duane effectually from slumber. This worked very well the first couple of mornings, but on the third Duane declined to get out of bed merely because her leg was jerked. Whereupon Kitty and Hilary attached another cord, to the victim's arm this time, with the satisfactory result that next morning an extremely vigorous pull on both cords jerked her right out of bed and landed her amid a heap of tumbled bedclothes upon the floor, where she was not allowed to remain for long.