"Copy Nature, by all means," sneered Ardiune, "only don't suggest that bumble-bees live in hives, or you'll be a little out of it!"
"Oh, you're so literal! It's only for the sake of the metaphor. Mayn't I talk about 'the busy bee' and 'the shining hour'?"
"For pity's sake, don't get flowery!" snapped Morvyth.
"'How doth the little busy bee Delight to bark and bite; She gathers honey all the day, And eats it up at night!'"
"Stop frivolling, and let me get to my point!" commanded Raymonde. "For the third time, let me remind you that it is the Bumble's birthday on Friday, and that it's only decent and seemly and becoming that the school should do something to celebrate so joyous an occasion."
"Stop a minute!" interrupted Katherine. "Are we rejoicing that she came into this world to gladden us, or are we counting one more year off towards the time when we'll have done with her? I'm not quite clear which."
[Illustration: "'GRACIOUS, GIRL! TURN OFF THE WATERWORKS!'"]
"Whichever you like, so long as you look congratulatory and happy-in-our-school-days and love-our-teachers, and all the rest of it. What you want is to spread the butter on thick, then, when there's an atmosphere of smiles, ask for a holiday and suggest the river. Yes, my children, I said the river. You didn't misunderstand me; I speak quite clearly."
"Whew! She'll never let us! Might as well ask for the moon. Why, our river expedition was knocked off after that little business of the Zepp scare!"
"All the more reason why we should have it now."
"Hope I am, if it means getting what we want. I propose a deputation to the Bumble, to state that the gratitude and devotion of the hive can only work itself off on water. Yes, Ardiune Coleman-Smith, I did say 'the hive', my sense of poetry being more highly developed than my love of exact science. You needn't lift your eyebrows, it's not a pretty habit."
"Who's going to make the deputation?" asked Fauvette.
"You, for one. You're our strongest point. You look naturally affectionate and clinging and docile, and ready-to-be-taught-if-taken-the-right-way, and easily led, and all the rest of it. You'll burble forth something pretty about wanting to have an expedition with our Principal in our midst, and mention what a wet day it was last year, and how disappointed we all were."