It turned out a more strenuous business than she had anticipated, however, for it was difficult in the first place to find packing-cases of the same height, and more difficult still to get the railway sleepers to fit neatly together on the top of them. "I hope it'll hold up!" said Aveline dubiously, when the erection was at last complete. "Oh, it'll just have to hold!" returned Raymonde in her airiest manner. "I think it's nicer than a stiff platform, and more suitable for a barn. It looks really 'coony', and suggests the Wild West, and log-cabins, and all that sort of thing." Immediately after preparation, the coons retired to make final arrangements in the barn. The big stable lanterns were lighted and hung up for purposes of illumination, and a cauldron of water was set upon the oil cooking-stove. It was a horrible scramble, for time was short, and they still had to change their dresses. Everyone seemed in everybody else's way, and each gave directions to the others, though nobody was in authority, and all got decidedly cross and snapped at one another. "It's not an atom of use sticking up that lantern unless you fill it first," urged Valentine. "I tell you it's almost empty, and won't burn twenty minutes. You don't want to perform in the dark, I suppose?" "It ought to have been filled before!" grumbled Ardiune. "Here, give me the paraffin can." "Take care what you're doing! You're slopping into the cauldron!" "I'm not!" "But I saw you! We shall have to empty out the cauldron and wash it and refill it." "Nonsense!" interfered Raymonde. "There isn't time. Val, is that lantern finished? Then hang it up, and come along and dress. We shall have everybody arriving before we're half ready." Almost every amateur concert begins late, and this was no exception to the rule. By the time the coons had scrambled into their costumes, and Fauvette had got her best lace-trimmed white petticoat fastened adequately on to her blouse with safety-pins, and Katherine had adjusted her tie to her satisfaction, and Muriel had induced her paper hat to tilt at the right angle on her head, the audience was clamouring for admission at the door of the barn, and making moral remarks on the subject of punctuality. "We're awfully sorry," panted Raymonde in excuse, undoing the padlock which the coons had left fastened, and allowing the school to tramp into the place of entertainment. "Your shillings, please! Yes, we're taking the money first thing, instead of handing round the plate in the interval. Where's the Bumble?" "Just coming now, with Gibbie and Ma'm'selle."