'I was here all the time,' repeated Vava, rather nettled at the young teacher's tone.
Miss Briggs went to report the matter to Miss Upjohn, who listened with a rather abstracted air.
'I will see the girl afterwards; at present I am worried about some examination papers which I put on the top of my desk and cannot find,' she replied.
'What papers are they?' inquired Miss Briggs.
'The Scripture papers for the Fourth Form; it is the next examination after recreation,' explained the head-mistress, who took this subject herself throughout the school.
'The Fourth Form! That is Vava Wharton's form,' observed Miss Briggs.
'Yes, she is in the Fourth Form,' agreed Miss Upjohn absent-mindedly. And then she exclaimed, 'Why, what are those papers on that shelf near the door?'
Miss Briggs went to look. 'They are the Fourth Form Scripture papers,' she informed her.
'I am glad. But how on earth did they get on to that shelf? I am sure I put them on this table; I never put them anywhere else, and that shelf would be the last place I should put them. Any one passing the door could easily see and read them without even meaning to do so,' remarked Miss Upjohn, looking puzzled.
'It looks as if some one had looked at them,' observed Miss Briggs with meaning.