stationery. Now, that’s funny! Oh, I am enjoying it here!”
“Really?” said Miss Scrimmage. “From the way you act — all the shouting and screaming — I would have guessed that you were quite unhappy.”
“The girls need it,” said Miss Peabody firmly.
“Well,” sighed Miss Scrimmage, “I always like to think that the girls are fond of me.”
Miss Peabody looked at her pityingly. “I always like to think that the girls are
scared
of me.”
* * *
Boots returned to room 306 after class that afternoon, his footsteps heavy. In all their classes together, Bruno had ignored him totally. Feeling exhausted, Boots put his key in the lock and opened the door. His jaw dropped.
Right down the centre of the room was a thick line of masking tape. It divided the two beds, dressers and desks, and all Boots’s possessions that had been placed in Bruno’s part of the room were now piled on the bed by the window.
Bruno was lying on his bed staring thoughtfully up at the ceiling.
“Bruno, what’s all this?”
Bruno did not turn his head. “Just be glad that you’re still staying in the room. I had your bags packed and outside the door, but Wizzle came along and slapped me with five demerits for making a mess in the hall. That ought to please you. You’re a big Wizzle fan.”
“You know I’m not a Wizzle fan. I’m just —”
“Anyway,” Bruno went on, “since we seem to be doomed to room together, you stick to your half and I’ll stick to mine. Right now your feet are on my half. Shove off.”
“How come the bathroom and the closet are in your half? Not to mention the door.”
“First come, first served,” said Bruno. “You can use all three — especially the door.”
“Bruno, this just isn’t like you.”
“Oh, it’s a lot like me. You’re the one who’s changed. And when you abandoned Macdonald Hall, I abandoned you.”
“I haven’t abandoned Macdonald Hall,” snapped Boots. “But when I do, it won’t be with my suitcase under my arm and my expulsion papers in my hand!”
“I’m not leaving at all,” said Bruno. “Wizzle is leaving. Now I’ve said all I intend to say to you. Get over on your own side.”
* * *
It was almost 2 AM when Cathy Burton put her ear up to the door of Miss Peabody’s room and signalled that the Assistant Headmistress was asleep.
Five other girls came out of the shadows. As quietly as they could, the group pushed a long table right in front of the doorway. Then they jammed two chairs underneath the tableand placed another smaller table upside down atop the first. Three more chairs were added to the top of this structure, and assorted night tables, chairs, piano stools and serving carts were placed strategically in the corridor, effectively blocking off Miss Peabody’s door.
The girls rushed around the corner and stopped for a last-minute briefing.
“Are you sure all the girls know?” asked Cathy.
The five nodded.
“Okay. It all happens at two. Sergeant Peabody will rue the day she ever tried to match wits with Miss Scrimmage’s Finishing School for Young Ladies!”
* * *
Bruno Walton had not been able to get to sleep. In spite of his air of confident determination, he was disheartened. He was disappointed in his friends, especially Boots, for abandoning Macdonald Hall like this, and had decided to go for help to a source he was sure would not fail him.
He tossed a handful of pebbles up to the second-storey window. Diane’s white face appeared. Her hand waved frantically and pointed toward Macdonald Hall. Bruno shrugged, shinnied up the drainpipe and climbed into the room.
“Go home, Bruno!” whispered Diane frantically.
“Why? What’s wrong? Where’s Cathy?”
“Cathy’s at war!” replied Diane, wringing her hands in anxiety. “Oh, Bruno, you have no idea what’s been going on here!”
“Well, I know there’s some lady making you do exercises.”
“Oh, she’s a monster!” shrilled Diane. “Which is why you’ve
“Really?” said Miss Scrimmage. “From the way you act — all the shouting and screaming — I would have guessed that you were quite unhappy.”
“The girls need it,” said Miss Peabody firmly.
“Well,” sighed Miss Scrimmage, “I always like to think that the girls are fond of me.”
Miss Peabody looked at her pityingly. “I always like to think that the girls are
scared
of me.”
* * *
Boots returned to room 306 after class that afternoon, his footsteps heavy. In all their classes together, Bruno had ignored him totally. Feeling exhausted, Boots put his key in the lock and opened the door. His jaw dropped.
Right down the centre of the room was a thick line of masking tape. It divided the two beds, dressers and desks, and all Boots’s possessions that had been placed in Bruno’s part of the room were now piled on the bed by the window.
Bruno was lying on his bed staring thoughtfully up at the ceiling.
“Bruno, what’s all this?”
Bruno did not turn his head. “Just be glad that you’re still staying in the room. I had your bags packed and outside the door, but Wizzle came along and slapped me with five demerits for making a mess in the hall. That ought to please you. You’re a big Wizzle fan.”
“You know I’m not a Wizzle fan. I’m just —”
“Anyway,” Bruno went on, “since we seem to be doomed to room together, you stick to your half and I’ll stick to mine. Right now your feet are on my half. Shove off.”
“How come the bathroom and the closet are in your half? Not to mention the door.”
“First come, first served,” said Bruno. “You can use all three — especially the door.”
“Bruno, this just isn’t like you.”
“Oh, it’s a lot like me. You’re the one who’s changed. And when you abandoned Macdonald Hall, I abandoned you.”
“I haven’t abandoned Macdonald Hall,” snapped Boots. “But when I do, it won’t be with my suitcase under my arm and my expulsion papers in my hand!”
“I’m not leaving at all,” said Bruno. “Wizzle is leaving. Now I’ve said all I intend to say to you. Get over on your own side.”
* * *
It was almost 2 AM when Cathy Burton put her ear up to the door of Miss Peabody’s room and signalled that the Assistant Headmistress was asleep.
Five other girls came out of the shadows. As quietly as they could, the group pushed a long table right in front of the doorway. Then they jammed two chairs underneath the tableand placed another smaller table upside down atop the first. Three more chairs were added to the top of this structure, and assorted night tables, chairs, piano stools and serving carts were placed strategically in the corridor, effectively blocking off Miss Peabody’s door.
The girls rushed around the corner and stopped for a last-minute briefing.
“Are you sure all the girls know?” asked Cathy.
The five nodded.
“Okay. It all happens at two. Sergeant Peabody will rue the day she ever tried to match wits with Miss Scrimmage’s Finishing School for Young Ladies!”
* * *
Bruno Walton had not been able to get to sleep. In spite of his air of confident determination, he was disheartened. He was disappointed in his friends, especially Boots, for abandoning Macdonald Hall like this, and had decided to go for help to a source he was sure would not fail him.
He tossed a handful of pebbles up to the second-storey window. Diane’s white face appeared. Her hand waved frantically and pointed toward Macdonald Hall. Bruno shrugged, shinnied up the drainpipe and climbed into the room.
“Go home, Bruno!” whispered Diane frantically.
“Why? What’s wrong? Where’s Cathy?”
“Cathy’s at war!” replied Diane, wringing her hands in anxiety. “Oh, Bruno, you have no idea what’s been going on here!”
“Well, I know there’s some lady making you do exercises.”
“Oh, she’s a monster!” shrilled Diane. “Which is why you’ve
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