Phyllis regarded her scornfully.
"No, of course not! They're our dearest friends now, I suppose! I suppose you've forgotten all about the Patriotic League we made when the war was on, when we were Upper Third, Jack Pym?"
Jack wriggled a little uneasily.
"Well, yes, I had forgotten a bit," she admitted. "But now that the war's over we don't need that any longer."
"Have you forgotten Rule Six?" Phyllis went on steadily. "'That this League vows and declares that it will for the future have no dealings with any person or persons of German nationality, either in peace or war.' Do you remember that?"
"Y—yes—I remember that," agreed Jack reluctantly.
"And how we all took a solemn oath that we would keep the rules, or else count ourselves traitors to our King and Country?" pursued Phyllis inexorably.
"Yes, I remember," said Jack.
"Well, there you are, then!" declared Phyllis triumphantly. "You can't go and make friends with Geraldine Wilmott, because you're a member of the Patriotic League. We won't send her to Coventry or do anything of that sort, because, of course, we haven't got any real proof that she's a German. But I vote we all steer as clear of her as possible for the future, and take jolly good care she doesn't get to know any of our private plans or secrets. She's just as likely as not to go telling them all to the mistresses if she gets to know them. You can't trust a person who's got German blood!"
And in this decision the Lower Fifth acquiesced, although it was really hardly possible for them to steer more clear of the new girl than they had done during the past week.