The other girls made no reply, and Harriet presently went out of the room, her hand linked in Jane's. "Now, Janie," she said, "you understand, of course, that I mean to get that pony." "I know you mean it," said Jane. "What I mean I generally manage to do," was Harriet's response. "You do, as a rule," replied Jane. "If I get the pony," said Harriet, "I will let you ride him pretty often. You shall come over to our place, and you shall use my beautiful side-saddle; of course, my habit won't fit you, you are such a round podge of a girl, but you can wear any old skirt. Shan't I make that pony fly! I'll give him beans! Oh, yes; I mean to have him." "But, after all," said Jane, "that depends upon whether Ralph chooses you as his school-mother or not." "You leave that to me," said Harriet. "I am sure he won't choose you," said Jane. "He will choose Robina; he loves her now like anything." "He will choose me," said Harriet. "I have a plan in my head, and he's certain to." "But he hated you to-day," said Jane. "If you really meant to win his heart, you shouldn't have been so horridly cross to Curly Pate, and you shouldn't have slapped him on the face." "I know," said Harriet, in a contrite voice; "my passion got the better of me, but you may be certain I will be on my guard on Saturday. And look here, Jane: you have not the remotest chance on your own account of winning the prize, but if you help me to get it I won't forget you in the matter of rides, and I will try and get Father and Mother to invite you over to our place very often during the holidays. You will like that, won't you, Jane?" "Love it," said Jane, who, however, was by no means certain on that point, for, although Harriet had great power over her, she was a little afraid of her. "Well, you shall come very often these holidays, and perhaps Mother might be coaxed to take you to the seaside with us; but everything depends on whether you help me to be school-mother to that boy. You will have to do your very best on Sunday. You'll have to talk to him about me, and tell him all the wonderful things that I will do for him when I have him to look after, and you will have--whatever you do--to frighten him about the others, and most especially frighten him about Robina. Now, I think that is all. I shan't bother about him, you may be sure, until Saturday. I think I know my way at last how to spite Robina, horrid thing! She is just mad to get that pony. I know life will be quite happy again if I can get it from her. Oh, she is sure of it--and Mrs Burton is so sure she'll win, that she is not even going to be given a day to look after Ralph! Very unfair, I call it."