“How can you tell a poisonous toadstool from a harmless one?” asked Agony.  “They all look alike to me.”

“A poisonous one has a ring around the stem, and it grows up out of a ‘poison cup,’” explained Mary.  “See, here are some more.”

Agony drew back as Mary pointed out another clump of the pale spores, innocent enough looking in their resemblance to the edible mushroom, but base villians at heart; veritable Borgias of the woods.

“Aren’t you afraid to touch it?” asked Agony, as Mary tilted over a sickly looking head and indicated the identifying ring and the poison cup.

“No danger,” replied Mary.  “They’re only poisonous if you eat them.”

“You know a great deal about the woods, don’t you?” Agony said respectfully.

“I ought to,” replied Mary.  “I’ve camped in the woods for five summers.  You can’t help finding out a few things, you know, even if you’re as stupid as I.”

“You’re not stupid!” said Agony emphatically, glad of the opportunity to pay a compliment.  “I’m the stupid one about things like that.  I never could remember all those things you call woodcraft.  I declare, I’ve forgotten already whether it’s the poisonous ones that have the rings, or the other kind.”

Mary laughed and stood unconcernedly while a small snake ran over her foot.  “It’s a good thing Miss Peckham isn’t here,” she remarked.  “Did you ever see anything so funny as that coral snake business of hers?” she added, laughing good naturedly.  “Poor Miss Peckham won’t be allowed to forget that episode all summer.  It’s too bad she resents it so.  She could get no end of fun out of it if she could only see the funny side.”

“Yes, it’s too bad,” agreed Agony.  “The more she resents it the more the girls will tease her about it.”

“I’m sorry for her,” continued Mary.  “She’s never had any experience being a councilor and it’s all new to her.  She’s never been teased before.  She’ll soon see that it happens to everybody else, too, and then she’ll feel differently about it.  Look at the way everybody makes fun of Tiny Armstrong’s blanket, and her red bathing suit, and her gaudy stockings; but she never gets cross about it.  Tiny’s a wonder,” she added enthusiastically.  “Did you see her demonstrating the Australian Crawl yesterday in swimming hour?  She has a stroke like the propeller of a boat.  I never saw anything so powerful.”

“If Tiny ever assaulted anyone in earnest there wouldn’t be anything left of them,” said Agony.  “She’s a regular Amazon.  They ought to call her Hypolita instead of Tiny.”

“And yet, she’s just as gentle as she is powerful,” replied Mary.  “She wouldn’t hurt a fly if she could help it.  Neither would she do anything mean to anybody, or show partiality in the swimming tests.  She’s absolutely fair and square; that’s why all the girls accept her decisions without a complaint, even when they’re disappointed.  Everybody says