"Rather have them chock-full of chocs, myself!" remarked Morvyth dryly. "Fauvette, you're interesting and pretty--when you don't cry (for goodness' sake look at your red eyes in the glass!); but you're as sentimental as an Early Victorian heroine. You ought to wear a bonnet and a crinoline, and carry a little fringed parasol, and talk about your 'papa'! If you don't get safely engaged to an officer before you're out of your teens, you'll turn into one of those faded females who bore one with sickly reminiscences of their past, and spend the remainder of your life pampering a pet poodle. Here, I've mended two pairs of stockings for you." "And I've done three pairs," said Raymonde, folding up the articles in question and putting them in her friend's second long drawer. "We're getting on. Kathy, have you finished the bodices? We'll soon have you straightened up, Baby, and if Mademoiselle----Oh!" Raymonde's sudden ejaculation was caused by a vision of no less a person than Miss Gibbs, who was standing in the doorway of the dormitory regarding the sewing party in some astonishment. "What are you girls doing here?" she demanded, making a bee-line for them among the beds. Nobody answered, and for a moment or two blank dismay spread itself over the countenances of the Mystics. Then Raymonde's lucky star came to the rescue, and popped an inspiration into her head. "You were telling us in Social History class yesterday, Miss Gibbs, about the necessity of women co-operating in their work if they are ever to command a higher scale of pay," she explained glibly; "so we thought we'd better begin to put our principles into practice. Fauvette had fallen into arrears, and was in danger of--er--trouble, so we all came just to boost her up to standard, and let her get a fair start again. It's on the basis of a Women's Union or--or--Freemasons. We thought we were bound to help one another." Miss Gibbs was not a remarkably humorous person, but on this occasion the corners of her mouth were distinctly observed to twitch. She mastered the weakness instantly, however, and remarked: "I'm glad to hear that you are interested in co-operation. This is certainly a practical demonstration of the theory, and Fauvette ought to be grateful to you. Be quick and finish straightening the things, and, if anybody asks questions, you may say that you have my permission to remain here until tea-time." The girls sat at attention till the door closed upon their mistress, then their mingled amazement and gratitude burst forth. "Good old Gibbie!" "She's an absolute sport to-day!" "Never known her in such a jinky mood before!" "The fact of the matter is," observed Raymonde sagely, "I believe Gibbie absolutely loathes Mademoiselle, and that for once in a way she's not above taking a legitimate chance of paying her out."