First Term at Malory Towers by Enid Blyton Read Free Book Online Page B

she was sure, much more charm of manner.
    She took Sally Hope into her confidence. “I don't like the way Darrell Rivers pushes herself forward all the time, do you?” she said to Sally. “Thinking she's so marvellous! Chumming up with Alicia and Betty. Not that I would if they asked me.”
    Sally didn't look very interested, but Gwendoline didn't mind. She went on grumbling about Darrell. “She thinks she's got such good brains, she thinks she plays such a marvellous game of tennis, she thinks she's so good at swimming! I've a good mind to show her that I'm twice as good as she is!”
    “Well, why don't you?” said Sally, bored. “Instead of showing everyone you're twice as bad!”
    Gwendoline was annoyed. To think that the quiet little Sally Hope should say such a thing to her! She looked at Sally as if she would like to wither her up.
    “All right,” said Gwendoline grandly. “I will just show you, Sally. I haven't really tried before, because it didn't seem worth it. I didn't want to come to Malory Towers, and Mother didn't want me to either. It was Daddy that made me come. I did marvellously with my governess. Miss Winter, and I could do marvellously now, if only I thought it was worth while!”
    Alicia came up and heard this curious speech. She laughed loudly.
    “You can't play tennis, you can't swim, you squeal when your toe touches the cold water, you don't even know all your twelve times table, baby! And then you talk of it not being worthwhile to show what you can do! You can't do a thing and never will, whilst you have such a wonderful opinion of yourself!”
    Sally laughed too, and that made Gwendoline angry. How she would like to slap them both! But Miss Winter had always said that a little lady kept her hands to herself. Anyway, it would be decidedly dangerous to slap Alicia.
    Gwendoline walked off, her nose in the air. “Dear Gwendoline Mary,” remarked Alicia, in a loud voice. “Mummy's pet, Daddy's darling, Miss Winter's prize pupil. And can't do fractions properly yet!”
    That evening the girls were in the swimming pool, having a lovely time. Alicia swam under water the whole width of the pool, and then back again. Everyone applauded her.
    “How can you hold your breath all that time?” cried Darrell. “I wish I could! Do it again, Alicia, when you've got your breath.”
    “The water's got properly into my ears this time!” said Alicia, shaking her head violently. “They feel all bunged up. I'll wait till they're clear. I'll do a spot of diving.”
    She was just as good a diver as a swimmer. Gwendoline, paddling about in the shallow end, envied her. She was certain she could swim and dive better than Alicia-—if only she could get over the unpleasant beginnings. She did hate the first cold plunge. She couldn't bear going under the water. She spluttered and gasped if she got water up her nose, and felt as if she w as drowning.
    There was only one person worse than she was, and that was poor Mary-Lou. No one teased Mary-Lou too much. It was too like teasing a small, bewildered kitten. Gwendoline saw her floundering about near her, and because she knew Mary-Lou was even more afraid of the pool than she was, she felt a sense of power.
    She waded over to Mary-Lou, jumped on her suddenly and got her under the water. Mary-Lou had no time to scream. She opened her mouth and the water poured in. She began to struggle desperately. Gwendoline, feeling the struggles, spitefully held her under longer than she had intended to. She only let her go w hen she felt a sharp slap on her bare shoulder.
    She turned. It was Darrell, trembling with rage, looking as if she was shivering so great was her anger. “You beast!” shouted Darrell. I saw you duck poor Mary-Lou—and you know how scared she is. You nearly drowned her!”
    She pulled Mary-Lou to the surface, and held her there, gasping and choking, blue in the face, almost sick with the amount of salt water she had swallowed.
    Girls began to swim