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Look, what have I done wrong here?”
    Mary-Lou slipped happily into a seat beside Daphne and began to explain a few things to her. Without realizing it she had soon done the whole of the work, and Daphne smiled to herself, and thanked Mary-Lou warmly.
    “That's all right,” said Mary-Lou, shyly. She gazed at Daphne's curling golden hair. “You've got beautiful hair,” she said.
    Daphne was like Gwen. She loved people to admire her and say nice things. She looked at little Mary-Lou and quite liked her. Also she thought it would be extremely useful if Mary-Lou would always help her with her French.
    “I suppose you wouldn't give me a hand with my French sometimes, would you?” she asked. I don't want any extra coaching from either of the Mam'zelles, but I'd love to let you explain things to me. You explain very well.”
    Nobody had ever asked Mary-Lou for help before in that way. She went brilliant red, and swallowed hard.
    "I'd love to.” she said at last. “Fancy me helping you ! I'm the one that's usually always rushing round for help. I'd love to, Daphne.”
    So, to the astonishment of the second-formers, they saw the curious sight of little Mary-Lou sitting by Daphne in the evenings at the end of the common-room, carefully explaining the mistakes made in the French exercise of the day before!
    “ And doing all the next day's work for her too!” said Darrell in disgust She didn't like to see the faithful Mary-Lou sitting so long with somebody else. Why, Mary-Lou had tagged along behind Darrell and Sally for terms and terms! Surely she wasn't going to make mat awful Daphne her friend.
    “Let her be,” said the sensible Sally. “If she wants to help her, why not? Daphne is awful at French, but I don't blame her for not taking extra coaching from the Mam'zelles. You know bow irritable Mam'zelle Rougier gets in the evening, and you know how long Mam'zelle Dupont keeps you if you do go for extra work. You're supposed to go for half an hour and she keeps you two hours!”
    “I hope Daphne won't put any of her silly ideas into Mary-Lou's head,” said Darrell.
    “Maybe Mary-Lou will put a few sensible ideas into Daphne's head,” said Sally. I know you're longing to interfere, Darrell, don't!”
    The gills soon sorted themselves out in the form, making their own friends, choosing people to sit next to and go walks with. It was nice to have a particular friend, and to have someone to confide in.
    Sally had Darrell and Darrell had Sally. Irene had Belinda. The two became quite inseparable, and did one another no good. What one forgot the other certainly didn't remember! They seemed to make one another worse.
    Alicia, of course, had Betty. Alicia was not as good-tempered as usual. She still smarted because she had not been made head-girl, and she was not at all nice to Sally nor as loyal to her as she should have been. Sally took no notice, but she was not very happy about it Gwen had Daphne, of course—and now Mary-Lou seemed to want Daphne too! How was Gwen going to feel about that?
    “You needn't worry,” said Daphne to Gwen. “I'm only using her, silly little thing! I'll let her come out with me sometimes, when you're busy, because I don't want her to mink I only want her help for my French. You can use her too, Gwen. Copy my work when I've done it!”
    So Gwendoline put up with Mary-Lou's company at times, and even said nothing when she went off alone with Daphne. What did it matter? Daphne was only using her!
    But all the same Daphne couldn't help liking little Mary-Lou—and it was certainly a change from the silly Gwen to have good-hearted Mary-Lou trotting by her side once or twice a week!

The invisible chalk
    After a few weeks Alicia got restless. It's time we livened things up a bit!” she said to Betty. I know we're second-formers now and all that—but there's no reason why we shouldn't have a bit of fun. Sally's such a bore-never a joke, never a trick!”
    “What shall we do?” said Betty, her