CHAPTER III

The New Monitress


The announcement of Mavis's resignation and the consequent promotion of
Merle to the post of monitress was received at school with varying
degrees of surprise. Some of the girls regretted it, others thought that
in the circumstances it was a wise decision.

"On the whole, I'm glad," admitted Iva in private to Nesta. "I love
Mavis, but she's too fine stuff for the job. It's like trying to cut
sacking with your most delicate pair of scissors. Now Merle will slash
away and won't mind anything. She's not afraid of those juniors, and
really some of them need a tight hand, the young wretches. It would half
kill Mavis to have to battle with them. Merle enjoys fighting."

"She'll get it, then," laughed Nesta. "There'll be plenty of scope for it
in the school, and I daresay I shall have a scrimmage or two with her
myself. Certainly Muriel will! Don't look shocked. We'll do our squabbles
in private if we have any. To the rest of the world, of course, the four
monitresses will seem absolutely at one about everything. We won't give
ourselves away!"

In a school where hitherto there has been no strict standard of
discipline, and which has suddenly doubled its numbers, it is rather a
difficult matter to decide the absolute limits of authority. Miss
Mitchell, new herself, gave the monitresses some general rules and
directions but left them to make what she called 'their own by-laws.'