She understood that the boy did not know that he was speaking with the fire-breathing dragon's sister.
"Yes, really," continued Jennings. "You just sit in one of his algebra lessons and then you'll believe it. I've met some frantic types in my life, but Old Wilkie!..."
Miss Wilkins was surprised. She knew that her brother was sometimes explosive, but a fire-breathing dragon, or a frantic type - no, that was more than she could accept.
She drank her tea quickly and said, "May I walk back to school with you?"
"Certainly! Then we can give you the money," said Darbishire. "But maybe we are taking you out of your way."
"Oh, no. I'm going to Linbury Court, but I wasn't sure of the way and got off the bus in the village, by mistake."
Darbishire looked at her in some surprise. Was she a parent? "Excuse me, but you are very young to be some boy's mother," he said politely.
"No, I'm not. I'm... I'm some boy's sister," said Miss Wilkins.
She called Mrs Lumly.
"Two pence for the tea and ten shillings for the rest," she said.
Miss Wilkins paid the money and said, "Let's take these doughnuts back to school for your friend."
Jennings and Darbishire did not really want to do it, but they did not want to argue with Miss Wilkins either. So they took the doughnuts for Venables, and all three of them went out of the house. Jennings was carrying Miss Wilkins' suitcase and Darbishire was carrying the doughnuts in a paper bag.
They thanked Miss Wilkins many times for her help, but now they were beginning to think about what was going to happen when they got back to school. It was already five o'clock!
Margaret saw that they were worrying and asked them questions about the more pleasant side of school life. They told her about the next issue of the Form Three Times, and they began to talk about Mr Wilkins again.
"I'm sure he is not really such a monster," said Margaret.
"Oh, but he is - he's worse!" exclaimed Darbishire. "He is not like the other teachers. Mr Carter is very decent; Mr Hind is very decent too; and even Mr Pemberton - he's the Headmaster! But Old Wilkie - no!"
"But what really is it that you don't like about him?" asked Margaret.
"Well, he sometimes shouts at us when we've done something wrong; and we don't mind that. But it is the same when we are trying to be decent. Take this, for example: Jennings wanted to write life-stories of famous and unfamous people, like Mr Carter and Mr Wilkins, for this newspaper that we told you about. You know - what they were like when they were young, and what their full names are."
"We know Mr Wilkins' initials are L. P., but what these initials stand for is a secret," said Jennings. "I don't think anybody really knows."
Margaret smiled. So Lancelot did not want to tell anybody about his romantic name!
"Of course, we didn't dare to ask him how old he was," Jennings continued. "He is not the man you can ask questions like this."
"And did Mr Carter tell you how old he was?"
"Well, no, he didn't, but we could work out a problem and find out," said Jennings.
Now they came to the school gates and Jennings said, "Let's say good-bye now. I'll tell Venables to bring that money to you, because I don't think we'll see you again before you go."
Margaret was sorry to hear it.
"But aren't we going to have a talk about your wall newspaper? Maybe I can help you with your life-stories."
The boys did not think that some boy's sister could really help them with their life-stories.
"I don't see how we can have a talk with you," said Jennings sadly. "Then, you see, we've missed the detention class."
"Is that serious?" asked Miss Wilkins.
"Is that serious! Old Wilkie will be so angry, that he'll - well, if you hear a great explosion in five minutes' time, you'll know that we are talking to him."
At that moment Mr Carter came out of the door and hurried to them.
"Good afternoon; my name is Carter," he said. "You must be Miss Wilkins."
"Yes," Margaret smiled.
"I'm happy you've found your way," said Mr Carter. "If you come with me, I'll take you up to your brother's room. I promised to meet you, because he has been busy with a detention class, but he'll be free in a moment."
Now Mr Carter noticed that Jennings and Darbishire were standing with red faces and open mouths. Mr Carter also noticed a strange expression on their faces.
"I think you haven't seen your brother for a long time, and you'll have a lot to talk to him about," Mr Carter said to Margaret.
"Yes, I really want to tell him a lot," said Miss Wilkins loudly.
If you once stepped under an ice-cold shower when thinking that it was hot, you will know something about what Jennings and Darbishire felt when they understood that their guest was Mr Wilkins' sister.
For a minute they didn't speak. When Mr Carter closed the door behind him Darbishire exclaimed:
"I can't believe it! I just cannot believe it! I just can't believe it! Old Wilkie's sister! No, I can't believe it!"
Jennings did not hear him. He was thinking about fire-breathing dragons and frantic types.
"Why didn't she tell us that she was his sister?" he exclaimed.
"If Old Wilkie was my brother I shouldn't be proud of it. What worries me is how we are going to talk to him now, when she's gone and told him all about it."
They went to the changing-room and left their caps and coats there. In the corridors they saw the boys of Form Three who were going to the school yard after the detention
"Where have you been?" Temple asked them. "Old Wilkie was so angry when you didn't - come that he nearly burst."
"Don't talk to me about bursting: I've just had seven doughnuts." Darbishire threw the paper bag into Temple's hands. "Here you are - eat these! We were going to give them to Venables, but I don't want to be decent to him now."
Through the window Jennings saw Venables who was hurrying from the school yard. Jennings shouted to him. Venables was greatly surprised to see his friends at school.
"Oh, there you are!" he shouted. "How did you get back? I was on my way to the village. I've got my ten-shilling note, now, look."
"You are a traitor, Venables," shouted Jennings. "You left us there without any money and we had to eat all those doughnuts and cakes."