“No, she isn’t,” said William firmly, “she jus’ isn’t.  Not much!  I don’ like her narsy shiny hair an’ I don’ like her narsy blue clothes, an’ I don’ like her narsy face, an’ I don’ like her narsy white shoes, nor her narsy necklaces, nor her narsy squeaky voice——­”

He paused.

Bettine drew a deep breath.

“Go on some more,” she said.  “I like listening to you.”

“Do you like her?” said William.

“No.  She’s awful greedy.  Did you know she was awful greedy?”

“I can b’lieve it,” said William.  “I can b’lieve anything of anyone wot talks in that squeaky voice.”

“Jus’ watch her when she’s eatin’ cakes—­she goes on eatin’ and eatin’ and eatin’.”

“She’ll bust an’ die one day then,” prophesied William solemnly, “an’ I shan’t be sorry.”

“But she’ll look ever so beautiful when she’s a May Queen.”

“You’d look nicer,” said William.

Bettine’s small pale face flamed.

“Oh no,” she said.

“Would you like to be a May Queen?”

“Oh, yes,” she said.

“Um,” said William, and returned to the discomfiture of Evangeline Fish by his steady concentrated scowl.

The next day he had the opportunity of watching her eating cakes.  They met at the birthday party of a mutual classmate, and Evangeline Fish took her stand by the table and consumed cakes with a perseverance and determination worthy of a nobler cause.  William accorded her a certain grudging admiration.  Not once did she falter or faint.  Iced cakes, cream cakes, pastries melted away before her and never did she lose her ethereal angelic appearance.  Tight golden ringlets, blue eyes, faintly flushed cheeks, vivid pale blue dress remained immaculate and unruffled, and still she ate cakes.  William watched her in amazement, forgetting even to scowl at her.  Her capacity for cakes exceeded even William’s, and his was no mean one.

They had a rehearsal of the Maypole dance and crowning the next day.

[Illustration:  WILLIAM ACCORDED HER A CERTAIN GRUDGING ADMIRATION.  ICED CAKES, CREAM CAKES, PASTRIES MELTED AWAY BEFORE HER.]

“I want William Brown to hold the queen’s train,” said Miss Dewhurst.

“Me?” ejaculated William in horror.  “D’you mean me?”

“Yes, dear.  It’s a great honour to be asked to hold little Queen Evangeline’s train.  I’m sure you feel very proud.  You must be her little courtier.”

“Huh!” said William, transferring his scowl to Miss Dewhurst.

Evangeline beamed.  She wanted William’s admiration.  William was the only boy in the form who was not her slave.  She smiled at William sweetly.

“I’m not good at holdin’ trains,” said William.  “I don’t like holdin’ trains.  I’ve never bin taught ‘bout holdin’ trains.  I might do it wrong on the day an’ spoil it all.  I shan’t like to spoil it all,” he added virtuously.