"Am I a juggins? He'd probably jump out of his skin and break his precious neck," Noreen said. "I only want to say a suitable good-bye to one who never bothered to say it to any of us, I noticed."
Her eyes brimming over with mischief, she caught Gabrielle's hand and dragged her round to the angle of the reservoir, still keeping the side farthest from the sea. "Now let's shin up this—more rest for our toes at the corner," she said; "then we can put our heads over the top, and, speaking with extraordinary politeness—oh, it's all right, Gabby—mention that the brainiest and the stupidest girl in Remove II. are desirous to bid him a fond farewell. What's the harm of that?"
"We shall miss Joey," objected Gabrielle. "I don't mean to do that for any Professor."
Noreen, who was scrambling up the angle of the reservoir, kicking vigorously to find a foot-hold, managed to rear her head enough to look over the top for a second.
"Nor do I, as it happens, but we shan't," she stated. "If it's a race, the Professor means to win, hands down."
CHAPTER XIX
Against Time
Joey had shouted till she was hoarse; she had flung her inconsiderable weight upon the door again and again in the hope of forcing it—a feat performed with misleading ease in all Gavin's books of adventure.
She had to stop at last from sheer exhaustion, and then it was, when there was nothing else to do, that she began to think.