Joey heaved a sigh of relief. "Well, that's all right. Thanks awfully. Do you want me any more, Miss Conyngham, or can I go now? For Noreen and Gabby are frightfully keen to hear about the things I saw last night." She turned to the Professor. "I say, were you walking round the place all the time between ten and twelve? You must have got wet! If it had been one of us, we'd have caught it from Matron for staying out in the rain." "What do you talk of? I picked up the handkerchief, suspecting not-ting, and returned to the Lodge," the Professor said annihilatingly. "It was not till I visit the Laboratory to make a leetle experiment this morning, that I find my eyes haf not deceive me--and then I looked at the name on the handkerchief, and learn who do me this injury." "I've told Miss Conyngham I didn't go into the Lab," Joey declared, growing angry in her turn. "I haven't been near the place since you were so frightfully cross with me for tidying the day I came. And you needn't be surprised that I thought you were walking about all that time, for you were there at twelve, when you were signalling. I saw you. I dare say you came back to do it--only, it was a natural thing for me to think, wasn't it?--not rudeness, like doubting a person's word. I'm sorry if _I've_ been rude, though; and I think you signal splendidly--so jolly fast. I couldn't keep up with you." The Professor made a contemptuous gesture with his hands, stained and blunted at the fingertips. "She dreams, this child. I haf no knowledge of the signalling. But for the other matter, Madame, may I ask that you will question further?" "No, Professor, I shall not do that," Miss Conyngham said firmly. "Jocelyn has given me her word of honour that she had no hand in the matter, and I trust my girls. Someone else must have taken her handkerchief by accident. I need hardly tell you that I shall look most carefully into the business and discover the culprit; but I cannot act as you suggest, or disbelieve the word of a child who has always shown herself truthful. Jocelyn, you may go; I am satisfied with what you have told me; but until the mystery is cleared up there will be no leave out for any Redlands girl, and you may tell the girls so." "Not for the match?" cried Joey, in dismay. "Not for the match; except, of course, for the players," Miss Conyngham said quite decidedly. "Someone is behaving like a dishonourable coward, and until she owns up the whole school must be punished. That will do, Jocelyn." The Professor made a quick step towards Miss Conyngham. His expression made Joey think of the day he had found her trying to perform the duties of a "scholarship kid."