Work went on that morning with much verve and vigor.  It was a pleasant morning:  the windows were open; the schoolrooms were all well ventilated; the teachers, the best of their kind, were stimulating in their lectures and in their conversation.  There was a look of business and animation throughout the whole place:  it was like a hive of bees.  At last the moment of recess arrived.  Kate just raised her head, looked over the shoulders of her companions, and saw Susy Hopkins darting restlessly about, catching one girl by the sleeve, another by the arm, whispering in the ear of a third, flinging her arm round the neck of a fourth; and as she spoke to the girls they looked interested, astonished, and cordial.  They moved away to that lonely part of the playground which was situated at the back of the Botanical Laboratory.  Kate had made up her mind not to take the least notice of Susy.  She was pacing up and down alone; for, most provoking, all her chosen friends had gone off with that young lady.  Suddenly she saw Ruth Craven going very quietly by.  By all the laws of the foundationers, Ruth ought to speak to her companions in misfortune.  Kate rushed up to her.

“What are they all doing there?” she said.  “Do you happen to know Susy Hopkins?”

“No,” replied Ruth gently.  “She came up to me just now and asked me to join her and some other girls at the back of the Laboratory.  I don’t know that I want to.”

“I am curious,” said Kate.  “Of course, I am no friend of Susy’s; she is a most contemptible little wretch; but I may as well know what it is all about.  Come with me, won’t you?”

Ruth hesitated.

“Come along; we may as well know.  There is probably some mischief on foot, and it is only fair that we should be forewarned.”

“I don’t want to know,” said Ruth; but as Kate slipped her hand through her arm and pulled her along, she said resignedly, “Well, if I must I must.”

As they strolled across the big playground, Ruth turned and glanced at Cassandra; but Cassandra was busy making friends with Florence, who was very angry with her for her desertion of the day before, and took no notice of Ruth.  The Irish girl was nowhere in sight.  Ruth sighed and continued her walk with Kate.

The most lonely and most dreary part of the playground was that little portion which was situated at the back of the Laboratory.  Nothing grew there; the ground was innocent of grass, and much worn by the tramping of young feet.  There were swings and garden-seats and preparations for tennis and other games in the rest of the big playground, but nothing had ever been done at the back of the Laboratory.  When the two girls arrived they found five other girls waiting for them.  Their names were, of course, Susy Hopkins, who considered herself on this delightful occasion quite the leader; a gentle and refined-looking girl of the name of Mary Rand; Rosy Myers, who was pretty and frivolous, with dark eyes and fair hair; Clara Sawyer, who was renowned for her vulgar taste in dress; and Hannah Johnson, a heavy-looking girl with a scowling brow and a very pronounced jaw.  Hannah Johnson was about the plainest girl in the school.  When Susy saw Kate Rourke and Ruth Craven she uttered a little scream of delight.