Helen Roper stared at Gipsy as if she could hardly believe the evidence of her own ears, and the Seniors gasped with astonishment. The impudence of the proposal seemed to them beyond all bounds. "I'm afraid it's not exactly the province of Juniors to sit on the Committee," returned Helen, with a sarcastic smile. "You can hardly expect us to comply with that demand." "Cheek!" "Sit upon her!" "We can't allow this kind of thing!" murmured the indignant Seniors. "A Guild is supposed to be formed for the common benefit of all concerned," continued Gipsy. "And I contend that every member who pays a subscription has a right to fair representation." "Hear, hear!" shouted the Juniors. "Well, you are represented. You can vote for any candidate you like," snapped Helen. "But it is not fair representation when the candidates are obliged to be chosen from the ranks of the opposite camp. We want candidates of our own, to look after Lower School interests." "We'll have them too!" squeaked a shrill voice from the ranks of the Third Form. "You're not going to get it all your own way!" yelled another. "We're tired of tyranny." "Order! Order!" commanded Helen; then, turning to her fellow monitresses, she held a brief whispered consultation. "Stop it at once!" "Put it down firmly!" "Don't stand any nonsense from them!" "Show them who are their betters," was the hasty advice given, and she turned again to the excited Juniors. "What you ask is impossible," she said imperiously. "The Guilds have gone on very well in the past, and they'll go on very well in the future. We promise that the interests of the Juniors shall be looked after, but the general management must remain as before. You can sit down, Gipsy Latimer." But Gipsy did not sit down. "I've made a fair request, and you've refused it," she continued calmly. "All that remains for me to do now is to appeal to the whole school. We Juniors have held a meeting amongst ourselves, and have decided that, if we're denied our just rights, we'll withdraw our subscriptions and found Guilds of our own. Am I voicing the public opinion?" "Yes, yes!" roared the Juniors. "Put it to the vote!" "Have it in black and white!" "We'll settle it to-day!" Gipsy's ultimatum was so utterly unexpected that the Seniors looked at one another as if an earthquake had occurred. They had imagined it was all "bluff" on the part of the younger girls, and that they were quite incapable of enforcing their demands. This sudden mutiny was a crisis such as had never risen before. "Hadn't we better yield a point, and let them have one or two candidates of their own?" suggested Lena Morris hastily. "Certainly not! It would be the greatest mistake to give way. Leave me to deal with them," said Helen, and turning on the Juniors with flashing eyes, she poured forth her scorn.