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if any of the smaller children were being bullied.
    But she saw nothing of the sort, Robert went about his own business and seemed to keep right away from the younger ones. He knew quite well that Elizabeth was watching for him to do something bad again, and he wasn't going to give her the chance to catch him, She would soon get tired of that, Robert was immensely fond of horses, and rode as often as he could. He was not allowed to look after them, because only the bigger boys and girls were allowed to do that, but he spent as much time as he could hanging round the stables, and talking to the brown-eyed horses, who put their heads out over the stable doors when they saw him, Robert took no interest in the other pets at all, much to the annoyance of the other children, who always loved to show off their pets to anyone.
    So, what with Robert going out riding and the other girls taking Elizabeth off with them as often as they could, the two enemies had few chances to meet and quarrel.
    It was only in class that they could show their dislike of one another, Robert was so anxious not to give Elizabeth any chance of jeering at him that he worked extra hard, and took enormous care with his homework. Miss Ranger, the form-mistress, was surprised and pleased to find Robert making such progress with everything, and she praised him, "Robert, you are doing very well," she said. "I shouldn't be surprised if you are top of the class one week this term, if you work like this!"

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    Robert went red with pleasure. He was really a lazy boy, and had never been anywhere near the top of his form, even at his old school. Elizabeth was annoyed to here Miss Ranger say this. Why, she, Elizabeth, could easily be top of the form if she wanted to! She would work like anything and just show Robert he couldn't get to the top whilst she was in the form!
    So she worked very hard too-but both children were working hard for the wrong reason-to spite one another!
    So they did not enjoy their work at all, which was a great pity.
    Then for a time both Robert and Elizabeth forgot their quarrel in the interest of something else, Jennifer's white mice made a great disturbance, and Jenny nearly got into serious trouble!
    Her white mice had a family of nine small baby-mice, most adorable creatures with soft white fur, woffly noses, pink eyes, and tiny tails, Jenny loved these very much indeed, and it was quite a sight to see the little girl with half a dozen mice running up and down her sleeves.
    "Jenny, put them back, the bell's gone," said Elizabeth one morning. "Hurry! You'll be late, and Miss Ranger isn't in a very good temper this morning."
    "Oh, golly, I can't find them all," said Jenny, feeling all over her body for the baby-mice. "Wherever have they gone? Is there one down my back, Elizabeth?"
    "Oh, Jenny, how can you let them do that!" cried Elizabeth. "No, there isn't one down your back, They must be all there in the cage now. Do come on. I shan't wait for you if you're a second longer."
    Jenny shut the cage-door carefully and latched it. Then she ran off with Elizabeth, and they arrived in their classroom panting, just as Miss Ranger also arrived.
    They took their places. The lesson was geography, and the class were learning about Australia and the big sheep-farms there. Jenny had a seat in the first row just in front of Elizabeth and Joan.
    And, in the middle of the lesson, Elizabeth saw the nose of a white mouse peeping out at the back of Jenny's neck! Jenny felt it too. She wriggled, put up her hand and pushed the mouse down. It disappeared.
    Elizabeth so badly wanted to giggle that she did not dare to look up at all. When she did look up, she saw the mouse peeping out of Jenny's left sleeve. It looked round at Elizabeth with pink eyes. Then it disappeared again.
    Jenny found the mouse very tickly indeed. She wriggled about. She tried to make the mouse go up to her shoulder, where it could be comfortable and go to sleep. But it wasn't at all sleepy. It