She took her hands from her pockets to catch hold of him, and as she did
so out flew a penknife on to the grass. Clive pounced upon it immediately
and picked it up.
"I've been looking for this everywhere!" he declared.
"How did it get inside my pocket?" asked Merle.
"_I_ never put it there!"
"Clive!" exclaimed Mavis, with a sudden flash of intuition. "Did you wear
Merle's jersey yesterday? I remember she found it wet. I verily believe
you dressed up in her clothes and went to school."
For answer Clive burst into fits of laughter.
"Oh, it was topping!" he hinnied. "I stuck on her skirt and jersey and
tam o' shanter and took in everybody. I walked down the street, and up
the drive to the school door, and prowled round the garden. There was a
window open, so in I went and found exam questions all over the table. I
thought I'd rag you about them!"
"You atrocious imp! Look here! You don't know what a scrape you've got us
into. You'll just have to own up and get us out of it again, that's all!"
Irresponsible Clive was full of thoughtless mischief, and it was a long
time before the girls could get him to see the serious side of his
escapade, and realise what an exceedingly grave charge had been brought
against their honour.
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