"I've called a general meeting of the Fifth," she said, "because there's something we all feel we ought to go into. Would you like to elect some one into the chair?" "I beg to propose yourself," piped Aubrey. "And I beg to second," said Nesta. Iva settled herself and looked somewhat embarrassed, as if not knowing quite how to begin. She fidgeted for a moment with her pencil, and cleared her throat. "We're all here," she said at last, "except Fay and Beata, who couldn't stay. What we've met for is to ask Mavis and Merle to explain how it was they got to know some of the examination questions beforehand. It seems to us queer, to say the least of it!" The Ramsays, overwhelmed with amazement at such a palpable insinuation, turned wrathfully red. "Why, we've told you! Clive guessed!" gasped Merle. "Bunkum!" "How could he?" "Very convenient guessing, I'm sure!" "It's no use telling us such utter fibs!" "They're not fibs! How dare you say so!" flamed Merle. "It's the absolute truth!" endorsed Mavis. "Do you stick to that?" "Of course we do." "Then I shall have to call on Sybil to tell us something she saw yesterday." Sybil, who was red, nervous, and even more uncomfortable than Iva, rose from her seat to make her accusation. "I was in the garden yesterday after school, and I saw Merle come back, hurry among the bushes, and climb in at the study window. I waited, and presently she came out again and scooted off as if she didn't want to meet anybody." "O--o--oh! You _didn't_ see me! I wasn't there! Was I, Mavis?" "Most certainly not. You were at home all the time. I can prove that!" "I think the thing proves itself!" said Iva. "First of all, you're seen by a witness entering the study, where, no doubt, the exam papers were spread out on the table, and then you come to school primed with the questions. There isn't a shadow of doubt." "Wait a minute!" said Mavis, rising with a very white face. "To begin with, you've got to prove that it was Merle. One witness isn't enough." "Catie and Peggie saw her down the drive. They told me so." "What time was it?" "About five o'clock." "She was practising at home then. I can bring witnesses to prove that. Besides, if she had really seen the questions, do you think she'd have been silly enough to tell them to you before the exam?" The girls looked puzzled at that, but Nesta murmured that Merle was silly enough for anything. "As she's one of the monitresses, we thought we ought to give her a chance to clear herself before we told Miss Mitchell," said Iva. "She _can_ clear herself and she will. It's not fair to condemn her like this. You must give her time to bring her own witnesses. I ask you all, is it like Merle to do such a thing?" "Well, no, it certainly isn't like either of you. That's what's surprised us so much." "You feel you can't be sure of anybody," added Aubrey.