"Oh yes, that's all right. Only if Duane doesn't get it, you'll be twitted no end," warned Hilary. "Pooh! I can stand that. Besides, Duane isn't going to lose. Why, this is Carslake's Great Opportunity!" Several other girls, passing by, caught the last two sentences and smiled, half amusedly, half curiously, at Kitty's emphatic words and tone. There were only three weeks before the exam, but as all students know, quite a lot of swotting can be done in three weeks if it doesn't matter about neglecting other things. The Carslake seniors were as good as their word. "Even better," as Duane remarked dryly, to which Margaret said reproachfully, "Why, I do believe we're more enthusiastic over it than you are!" "Especially Kitty," returned Duane, with a half-mocking, half-quizzical glance at Kitty that made her flush hotly. The other prefects, Hilary and France, willingly took upon themselves disciplinary duties which usually fell to the head prefect's lot, in order to give her more time for study. Kitty industriously copied out lists of game practices, weekly reports, notices of sports or debate meetings, and similar things which were part of the head girl's routine, while much of Duane's ordinary preparation was excused. All this help was accepted by the head prefect readily enough, until it came to assistance in early morning rising. Hilary and Kitty held themselves responsible for seeing that she was out of bed ten minutes before rising bell, dressed by the time the bell rang, and ready for three-quarters of an hour's hard study before breakfast. To this Duane most strongly objected, using the passive form of resistance, and it says much for the patience and firmness of Hilary and Kitty that, right up to the exam itself, Duane was downstairs every morning soon after the rising bell. It must be admitted, however, that to achieve this record, Hilary had to resort to a novel stratagem suggested by Kitty's fertile brain. This was the innocent plan of tying one end of a piece of cord round Duane's ankle after she was in bed, and letting the other end hang by Hilary's bedside. Thus a good strong pull from Hilary woke Duane effectually from slumber. This worked very well the first couple of mornings, but on the third Duane declined to get out of bed merely because her leg was jerked. Whereupon Kitty and Hilary attached another cord, to the victim's arm this time, with the satisfactory result that next morning an extremely vigorous pull on both cords jerked her right out of bed and landed her amid a heap of tumbled bedclothes upon the floor, where she was not allowed to remain for long.