the spring term wore slowly on. march winds came and went, taking the sweet violets with them, but leaving golden lent lilies and a wealth of primroses as a legacy to april. the larch forest above porth powys was a tangle of green tassels, the hedgerows were starry with blackthorn, and the pyrus japonica over the dining-room windows was a mass of rosy blossom. spring was always a delightful season at the woodlands; with the longer days came rambles and greater freedom. popular opinion ran high in extolling country life, and any girl who ventured to prefer town pleasures found herself entirely in the minority.

rona had several invitations for the easter holidays, one from mrs. stanton among the number; but miss bowes, thinking it better for ulyth to have a rest from her room-mate's presence, decided in favour of winnie fowler. ulyth could not help feeling a sense of relief that the matter was thus settled. rona was very little trouble to her now—indeed, she rather liked her company; but she would be glad to have her mother to herself for the few short weeks.

"i wouldn't for the world have tried to stop her[pg 157] coming, motherkins," she wrote home; "but miss bowes said most emphatically that she must go to the fowlers. i'm sure they'll give her a good time, and—well, i admit it will be a rest to me. just at present i don't want to share you. now you know the whole of your horrid daughter! lizzie asked me if i would spend part of the holidays with her, but i managed to make an excuse. i felt i couldn't spare a single precious day away from you. i have so much to talk about and tell you. am i greedy? but what's the use of having one's own lovely mother if she isn't just one's ownest sometimes? i tell you things i wouldn't tell anyone else on earth. i don't think all the girls feel quite the same; but then their mothers can't possibly be like mine! she's the one in a thousand! i'm sitting up late in my bedroom to write this, and i shall have to report myself to miss lodge to-morrow; but i felt i must write."

after the easter holidays everybody returned to the woodlands prepared to make the most of the coming term. with the longer evenings more time was allowed out-of-doors, and the glade by the stream became a kind of summer parlour. those girls who had some slight skill in carpentry constructed rustic benches and tables from the boughs blown down by last autumn's storms, and those who preferred nature untouched by art had their favourite seats in snug corners among the bushes or on the stones by the water-side. with the first burst of warm weather bathing was allowed, and every morning detachments of figures in mackin[pg 158]toshes and tennis-shoes might be seen wending their way towards the large pool to indulge in the exhilarating delight of a dip in clear, flowing water, followed by a brisk run round the glade. these pre-breakfast expeditions were immensely appreciated; the girls willingly got up earlier for the purpose, and anyone who manifested a disposition to remain in bed was denounced as a "slacker".

one day, towards the end of may, when some of the members of v b were sitting with their fancywork on the short grass under an oak-tree, addie knighton came from the house and joined them. there was beaming satisfaction in addie's twinkling grey eyes; she rubbed her hands ostentatiously, and chuckled audibly.

"what's to do, addie, old girl? you're looking very smug," said lizzie.

"aha! wouldn't you like to know? what'll you give me if i tell you now?"

"never buy pigs in pokes. it mayn't be important at all," volunteered merle.

"oh, indeed! isn't it? just wait till you hear."

"it's nothing but one of your sells," yawned gertrude oliver, moving so as to rest her back more comfortably against ulyth.

"mrs. arnold doesn't generally spring sells upon us."

ulyth jumped up so suddenly that gertrude collapsed with a squeal of protest.

"mrs. arnold here and i never knew! where is she?"[pg 159]

"don't excite yourself. she's gone by now. she only stayed ten minutes, to see miss bowes, but it was ten minutes to some purpose. do you know what she's actually proposed?"

addie's listeners were as eager now as they had been languid before.

"go ahead, can't you?" urged lizzie.

"well, the whole school's to go camping for three days."

this indeed was news!

"stunning!"

"spiffing!"

"ripping!"

"scrumptious!" burst in a chorus from the elated four.

"details, please," added ulyth. "when and where, and how, and why?"

"is it a camp-fire business?" asked lizzie.

"of course it is or mrs. arnold wouldn't be getting it up. it's happened this way. the llangarmon and elwyn bay detachments of boy scouts are to camp at llyn gwynedd for ten days early in june. mr. arnold has the arranging of it all. and mrs. arnold suggested that the tents might just as easily be hired a few days sooner, and we could use them before the boys came. it's such a splendid opportunity. it would be too expensive to have everything sent down on purpose just for us, but when they're there we can hire the camp for very little extra. it's the carriage and erecting that cost so much. miss bowes, i believe, hummed and ha-ed a little, but teddie just tumbled to[pg 160] the idea and persuaded the rainbow to clinch it."

"good old teddie! i believe it's the tragedy of her life that she can't live altogether in the open air. she adores red cross work."

"the teachers are all to come to camp; they're as excited as you please about it. it was miss lodge who told me that mrs. arnold was here, and i rushed down the drive and caught her just for a second."

this indeed was an event in the annals of the school. never since the camp-fire league was started had its members found any opportunity of sampling life under canvas. they had practised a little camp cookery down by the stream, but their experiments had not gone much farther than frying eggs and bacon or roasting potatoes in hot ashes, and they were yearning to try their hands at gipsies' stews and gallipot soups. with mrs. arnold for leader they expected a three days' elysium. even miss teddington, they knew, would rise to the occasion and play trumps. llyn gwynedd was a small lonely lake about six miles away, in the heart of the mountains beyond penllwyd and glyder garmon. it was reached from the woodlands by a track across the moors, but it communicated by high road with capelcefn station, so that tents, camp-furniture, and provisions could be sent up by a motor-lorry. the ground was hired from a local farmer, who undertook to supply milk, butter, and eggs to the best of his ability, and to bring meat and fresh vegetables from capelcefn as required.[pg 161] to cater for a whole school up in the wilds is a task from which many principals would shrink, and miss bowes might be forgiven if she had at first demurred at the suggestion. but, with mr. arnold's practical experience to help her, she gave her orders and embarked (not without a few tremors) upon the proceeding.

"if the mountain air makes you so hungry you eat up two days' provisions in one, it means you'll have to fast on the third day," she assured the girls. "i'm sending up what i hope will be sufficient. it's like victualling a regiment. of course we shan't go at all if it's wet."

mr. arnold, who very kindly volunteered to see that the camp was properly set up and in thorough working order before the school took possession, superintended the erection of the tents and reported that all was in apple-pie condition and only waiting for its battalion. on 2nd june, therefore, a very jolly procession started off from the woodlands. in navy skirts and sports coats, tricolor ties, straw hats, and decorated with numerous badges and small flags, the girls felt like a regiment of female territorials. each carried her kit on her back in a home-made knapsack containing her few personal necessities, and knife, spoon, fork, and enamelled tin mug. a band of tin whistles and mouth organs led the way, playing a valiant attempt at "caller herrin'". the teachers also were prepared for business. miss teddington, who had done climbs in switzerland, came in orthodox costume with nailed boots and a jaunty tyrolean hat with[pg 162] a piece of edelweiss stuck in the front. miss lodge wore a full-length leather coat and felt hat in which she looked ready to defy a waterspout or a tornado. miss moseley, who owned to an ever-present terror of bulls, grasped an iron-spiked walking-stick, and miss davis had a first aid wallet slung across her back. in the girls' opinion miss bowes shirked abominably. instead of venturing on the six-mile walk she had caught the morning train to capelcefn, and was going to hire a car at the royal hotel and drive up to the lake with the provisions. mrs. arnold, who, with her husband, had taken rooms at the farm for a few days, was already on the spot, and would be ready to receive the travellers when they arrived.

on the whole it was a glorious morning, though a few ill-omened clouds lingered like a night-cap round penllwyd. larks were singing, cuckoos calling, bluebells made the woods seem a reflection of the sky, and the gorse was ablaze on the common. the walk was collar-work at first, up, up, up, climbing a steep track between loose-built, fern-covered walls, taking a short cut over the slope that formed the spur of cwm dinas, and scaling the rocky little precipice of maenceirion. some who had started at a great rate and with much enthusiasm began to slacken speed, and to realize the wisdom of miss teddington's advice and try the slow-going, steady pace she had learned from swiss guides.

"you can't keep it up if you begin with such a spurt," she assured them. "alpine climbing has to be like the tortoise—slow and sure."[pg 163]

once on the plateau beyond cwm dinas progress was easier. it was still uphill, but the slope was gentler. they were on the open moors now, following a path, little more than a sheep track, that led under the crag of glyder garmon. except for an occasional tiny whitewashed farm they were far from human habitations, and the only signs of life were the small agile welsh sheep, the half-wild ponies that grazed on these uplands during the summer months, and a pair of carrion crows that wheeled away, croaking hoarsely at the sight of intruders. on and on over what seemed an interminable reach of coarse grass and whinberry-bushes, jumping tiny brooks, and skirting round sometimes to avoid bogs, for much of the ground was spongy, and though its surface of sphagnum moss looked inviting, it was treacherous in the extreme. at last they had rounded the corner of glyder garmon, and there, far away to the right, like a sheet of silver, llyn gwynedd lay gleaming in the distance.

the sight of their destination, even though it was two miles away, cheered up those weaker spirits that were beginning to lag, especially as something white on the south side, when examined through miss teddington's field-glasses, proved to be the tents. three-quarters of an hour's brisk walking brought them to the lake, and in ten minutes more they were announcing their approach to the camp in a succession of wild hoorays.

mr. and mrs. arnold were waiting to do the honours, and, parading in their very best style, the league marched in and took possession.[pg 164]

by the time they had been two hours at llyn gwynedd all the girls felt like old, well-seasoned campers. mrs. arnold was no novice, and at once assumed her post as leader and captain in command. miss bowes, miss teddington, and the other teachers were assigned tents of honour, and every member of the league was placed on definite duty. some were cooks, some water-carriers, some scullions, and some sentries, according to their qualifications and the rank they held in the league.

the field hired for the camping-ground had been carefully chosen. it was on the far side of the lake, away from the road, sheltered on the north and east by mountain ridges, and with a shelving beach of fine silvery sand where the waves lapped in gentle little ripples. a narrow brook, leaping from the heights above, passed through the centre and gave a quite uncontaminated water supply. all around rose peaks which had not been visible at the woodlands, the rough, splintered crest of craig mawr, the smoother summit of pencastell, and the almost inaccessible precipice of carnedd powys. it was glorious to sit by the lake and feel that they were not obliged to return to school before dark, but could stay and watch the sun set behind pencastell and the gloaming creep quietly on. of course everybody wanted to explore the immediate vicinity, and little bands, each in charge of a torch-bearer, were allowed to skirt round the lake within sight of the camp. each girl had her league whistle, and knew the signals which meant "meal-time", "danger", and "return instantly to camp". these had been rehearsed[pg 165] in the glade at the woodlands, and formed part of the examination of every candidate.

ulyth, as a torch-bearer, was able to head a party, and started off in quest of bog myrtle along the bank, returning with great armfuls of the delicious-smelling aromatic shrub to cast into the fire during the evening "stunt".

the gathering of the league that night was a memorable occasion. the ceremonies were observed with strictest formality, and as visitors were present a special welcome song was sung in their honour. the scene was immensely picturesque and romantic: the red sun setting between craig mawr and pencastell threw a last glow on the lake, the blazing fire lighted up the camp and the rows of eager faces, and behind all was the background of the eternal hills.

rona, having successfully passed through her probation, was admitted as a wood-gatherer and awarded the white badge of service. several younger girls also received initiation into membership. with the league ceremonial, songs, stories, and cocoa-making, the evening passed very swiftly away. at nine o'clock everybody was expected to turn in. a night under canvas was a new experience. the stretcher-beds and the clean blankets looked inviting. strict military discipline was observed in the camp, and sentries were told off on duty. in as perfect order as a regiment the girls went to their tents. ulyth was sharing quarters with addie, lizzie, and gertrude. she tucked herself up in her blankets, as she had been[pg 166] taught at camp drill, and then lay quietly for a long, long time, watching the patch of sky through the tent door.

she seemed only to have been asleep for about an hour, when the patrol touched her on the shoulder. instantly she sprang up, broad awake.

"relieve sentry at west guard," was the order, and the patrol passed on.

it was too dark to see her watch, but ulyth knew it must be nearly one o'clock. she hastily donned the warm garments ordered to be worn by sentries, and hurried away to relieve helen cooper. her post was at the west end of the camp, where the field merged into a rushy swamp before it rose into the hill that led towards the farm.

"the password is 'louvain'," said helen, retiring, not at all sorry to seek the comfort of her bed. "one leg of the camp-stool is most rickety, so i warn you not to lean too hard on it. good night."

left alone, ulyth sat down with extreme caution on the deficient camp-stool and surveyed the situation. there were clouds across a waning moon, and it was fairly dark. she could see the outlines of the tents in black masses behind her; in front the field lay dim and shadowy, with a mist creeping from the water. up above, to her right, against an indigo sky, the great bear was standing almost on its head, with its tail in the air. one of the tests of a torch-bearer was a knowledge of the stars, and ulyth had learnt how to tell the time by the position of this particular constellation. she made a[pg 167] rapid calculation now, reckoning from the day of the month, and was glad to find it came out correctly. cassiopeia's white arms were hidden by the mountains, but the milky way shimmered in the east, and overhead arcturus blazed as he had done in the days when the patriarch job recorded his brilliance. to the extreme north a patch of light lay behind penllwyd, where the sun, at this season hardly dipping far out of sight, worked his course round to the east again. how quiet it was! the silence was almost oppressive. the gentle lap of the tiny waves on the lake was not equal to the rush of the stream at the woodlands. not even a night-bird called. the camp was absolutely still and slumbering.

ulyth rose and paced about for a while. it was too cold to sit still long. she must only use the camp-stool when she needed a rest.

"sentries ought to be allowed chocolates," she murmured, "or hot peppermints, just to keep up their spirits. ugh! how weird and eerie it all is! there isn't a sound anywhere. it's not an enlivening performance to keep watch, i must say."

she stopped, suddenly on the alert. what was that noise in the darkness to her left? she distinctly heard a rustle among the gorse-bushes, and thought something moved in the deep shadow.

"halt! who goes there?" she challenged.

there was no reply, but the rustle sounded again, this time nearer to the camp. she listened with every sense strained to the uttermost. something or someone was slinking in from the field[pg 168] and creeping cautiously towards the tents; of that she was nearly certain. wild ideas of thieving tramps flooded her brain. a louder sound confirmed her suspicions. she could hear it quite distinctly in the direction of the kitchen. her duty was plain. she blew her whistle promptly; it was answered by those of the three other sentries, from the north, east, and south quarters, and immediately torches began to flash, and voices to ask the cause of alarm. the guard was roused, and began an instant tour of inspection.

"something crept past me, straight towards the centre of the camp," ulyth reported.

the lights flashed away in the direction of the kitchen. the girls were on their mettle, and meant business. whoever the intruder was, he should be run to earth and made to give an account of himself. they felt perfectly capable of taking him prisoner and binding his hands behind him with a rope. indeed, they thought they should hugely enjoy doing so, particularly if he turned out to be a burglar. numbers give courage, and a very martial spirit was in the air.

"if he's hiding in one of the tents we'll drag him out by the legs!" proclaimed marjorie earnshaw fiercely.

everybody was sure it must be a "he". the news spread through the camp like lightning, and it was even rumoured that he wore a coat and top-boots. miss teddington herself had emerged, and was waving a lantern as a searchlight.[pg 169]

"this way," blustered marjorie, heading for the kitchen quarter. "the sneaking cur! we'll have him!"

"why aren't we allowed bayonets?" lamented ruth white.

"oh, i hear a noise! there's something there really," urged kathleen simpson, with a most unsoldierly squeal. "oh, i say! here he comes!"

there was a sudden scratch and scramble, and from out the larder rushed a dark object on four legs, with a white something in its mouth. helen made a valiant dash at it, but it dodged her, and flew like the wind away between the tents and off somewhere over the fields in the direction of the farm. the guard with one accord burst out laughing.

"a thieving welsh sheep-dog raiding the larder!" exclaimed catherine.

"it's stolen a whole leg of mutton, the brute!" wailed doris, who belonged to the commissariat department. "i didn't think it could have reached that. it must have jumped high. it doesn't deserve its prize."

"no wonder it wouldn't answer when i challenged it," observed ulyth.

"well, i'm glad it's no worse than a dog," said miss teddington. "we must take steps to-morrow to make the larder safer, or we shall be troubled again."

"we'll place a guard over it," replied catherine promptly. "jessie morrison, you are on sentry duty at once to watch the larder. maggie orton will relieve you at three."