Jones, the school janitor, who formerly kept the courts and cricket pitch in order, had gone to the war, and his place was occupied by a rheumatic old fellow who could do little more than carry coke and attend to the heating apparatus.  When every able-bodied man seemed fighting or making munitions, it was difficult to find anybody to roll a hockey field, A volunteer was procured at last, however, who undertook the job at the rate of L1 per month, with an extra thirty shillings for putting the field in good order to begin with.  Six or seven pounds, therefore, would cover the expenses of the season.  Winona, mindful of the terrible offense she had given in connection with the Old Girls’ Guild, very wisely took the matter to Linda Fletcher, who called a united meeting of Prefects and Games Committee to discuss the best way of raising the money.

“It will have to be done on a bigger scale than the symposium last year,” said Hilda Langley.  “If I remember rightly, that made exactly L2 13_s._ 7_d._, enough for a Form trophy, but not sufficient for this venture.”

“We’d better issue tickets, and sell some of them to parents and friends,” suggested Linda.

“How many will the hall hold?”

“Three hundred at a pinch, if the babes squash up tight.”

“They won’t mind doing that in a good cause.”

“The Dramatic Society ought to take an innings, and provide at least half the program.”

“They’ll jump at the opportunity.  I believe they have something quite prepared, and have been yearning for an audience.”

“Then by all means let them have one.”

“At sixpence a head,” added practical Marjorie; “we ought easily to be able to sell sixpenny tickets.”

Everybody took up the idea with enthusiasm.  The difficulty was not so much to find helpers as to decide who was to have the honor of performing.  There were many heart-burnings before the program was finally fixed.  It was decided that a musical selection should be given first, followed by a piece by the Dramatic students.  To cut these to reasonable limits needed all Linda’s discretion, tact and firmness.

“You can’t have an entertainment beginning at three, and going on till midnight,” she urged, as the various desired items were submitted to her.  “You’d have to hire ambulances to take your exhausted audience home!  Very sorry, but we must keep some of the things for a future occasion.”

Linda, being wise in her generation, and having an eye to the sale of tickets, insisted that the Lower School should take a share in the performance.

“Who wants to bother to hear the kids?” objected Grace Olliver, who, by the bye, was a member of the “Dramatic,” and therefore not entirely disinterested.

“If we don’t bother with the kids, they mayn’t bother to come and bring friends, and we should look silly if we didn’t sell all our tickets!  Let them do their flag display, and sing their Empire song.  That will content them and their mothers, and leaves quite time enough for other people.”