It is droll how much can go on in a school unseen and unsuspected by its teachers. Mrs. Florence never dreamed that the girls had guessed her secret. Her plan was to go away as if for a visit, and leave Mrs. Nipson to explain at her leisure. She was therefore quite unprepared for the appearance of Katy, holding the beautiful basket, which was full of fresh roses, crimson, white, and pink. I am afraid the rules of the S. S. U. C. had been slightly relaxed to allow of Rose Red's getting these flowers; certainly they grew nowhere in Hillsover except in Professor Seccomb's garden! "The girls wanted me to give you this, with a great deal of love from us all," said Katy, feeling strangely embarrassed, and hardly venturing to raise her eyes. She set the basket on the table. "We hope that you will be happy," she added in a low voice, and moved toward the door. Mrs. Florence had been to much surprised to speak, but now she called, "Wait! Come back a moment." Katy came back. Mrs. Florence's cheeks were flushed. She looked very handsome. Katy almost thought there were tears in her eyes. "Tell the girls that I thank them very much. Their present is beautiful. I shall always value it." She blushed as she spoke, and Katy blushed too. It made her shy to see the usually composed Mrs. Florence so confused. "What did she say? What did she say?" demanded the others, who were collected in groups round the school-room door to hear a report of the interview. Katy repeated her message. Some of the girls were disappointed. "Is that all?" they said. "We thought she would stand up and make a speech." "Or a short poem," put in Rose Red,--"a few stanzas thrown off on the spur of the moment; like this, for instance:-- "Thank you, kindly, for your basket, Which I didn't mean to ask it; But I'll very gladly take it, And when 'tis full of cake, it Will frequently remind me Of the girls I left behind me! There was a universal giggle, which brought Miss Jane out of the school-room. "Order!" she said, ringing the bell. "Young ladies, what are you about? Study hour has begun." "We're so sorry Mrs. Florence is going away," said some of the girls. "How did you know that she is going?" demanded Miss Jane, sharply. Nobody answered. Next day Mrs. Florence left. Katy saw her go with a secret regret. "If only she would have said that she didn't believe I wrote that note!" she told Clover. "I don't care what she believes! She's a stupid, unjust woman!" replied independent little Clover. Mrs. Nipson was now in sole charge of the establishment. She had never tried school-keeping before, and had various pet plans and theories of her own, which she had only been waiting for Mrs. Florence's departure to put into practice.