But Jack was feeling very sore about her lost hockey chances, and not by any means in a mood for being sympathised with. The tearful note in the new girl's voice only irritated her, and she said brusquely:
"Oh, all right—there's no need to be sorry. I suppose you couldn't help it." But she said it in a tone that did not make Geraldine feel much happier.
Phyllis gave an audible sniff of contempt.
"Couldn't help it, indeed!" she said ironically.
"Well, but truly, I don't see what else I could have done," said Geraldine unhappily.
"Then you must be an idiot," said Dorothy Pemberton, joining in the fray. "Nobody with any gumption would have let Miss Parrot catch them sitting like that. And you might have cleared away that piece of paper."
"I—I'm awfully sorry," faltered Geraldine again.
"What's the use of being sorry?" cried Dorothy testily. "Being sorry won't take away Jack's conduct mark or make Polly let her off detention on Saturday. You're just a silly, clumsy idiot—if you didn't do it on purpose—and I wish to goodness you'd never come into the Lower Fifth."
"Or to the Pink Dorm," put in Phyllis.
Geraldine cowered visibly under this attack.