CHAPTER PAGE I. Sent to Coventry! 5

II.  High Life and Low Life 17

III.  The Wild Irish Girl 26

IV.  The Home-Sick and the Rebellious 34

V. Wit and Genius:  the Plan Propounded 58

VI.  The Poor Tired One 72

VII.  The Queen and Her Secret Society 79

VIII.  The Box from Dublin and Its Treasures 93

IX.  Conscience and Difficulties 106

X. The Wild Irish Girl’s Society Is Started 112

XI.  The Blouse and the Robbery 126

XII.  Tom Hopkins and His Way with Aunt Church 136

XIII.  Aunt Church at Dinner, and the Consequences
Thereof 150

XIV.  Ruth Resigns the Premiership 171

XV.  The Scholarship:  Trouble Is Brewing 177

XVI.  Kathleen Takes Ruth to Town 192

XVII.  Miss Katie O’Flynn and Her Niece 204

XVIII.  Susy Hopkins Persuades Aunt Church 220

XIX.  Ruth’s Troubles and Susy’s Preparations 230

XX.  The Governors of the School Examine Ruth 242

XXI.  The Society Meets at Mrs. Church’s Cottage 253

XXII.  Ruth’s Hard Choice:  She Consults Her Grandfather 263

XXIII.  Ruth Will Not Betray Kathleen 275

XXIV.  Kathleen and Grandfather Craven 281

XXV.  Kathleen Has a Good Time in London 294

XXVI.  The Right Side of the Ledger 308

XXVII.  After the Fun Comes the Deluge 314

XXVIII.  Who Was the Ringleader? 321

XXIX.  End of the Great Rebellion 334

THE REBEL OF THE SCHOOL

CHAPTER I.

Sent to Coventry!

The school was situated in the suburbs of the popular town of Merrifield, and was known as the Great Shirley School.  It had been endowed some hundred years ago by a rich and eccentric individual who bore the name of Charles Shirley, but was now managed by a Board of Governors.  By the express order of the founder, the governors were women; and very admirably did they fulfil their trust.  There was no recent improvement in education, no better methods, no sanitary requirements which were not introduced into the Great Shirley School.  The number of pupils was limited to four hundred, one hundred of which were foundationers and were not required to pay any fees; the remaining three hundred paid small fees in order to be allowed to secure an admirable and up-to-date education under the auspices of the great school.