Read Online Winter Term at Malory Towers by Enid Blyton - Free Book Online

possible,’ said Freddie. ‘And she jumps every time one of them moves. What have you got in mind, June?’
    â€˜Well,’ said June, her eyes glinting wickedly. ‘Just suppose that one of those mice found its way into Olive’s desk. My word, wouldn’t she squeal!’
    â€˜June!’ gasped Freddie. ‘It would be a marvellous trick to play, but dare we?’
    June, who was bold enough for anything, said at once, ‘Of course we dare. Miss Tallant’s lesson is right after break, so we can slip along to the biology room at break-time, get one of the mice out and put it into Olive’s desk.’
    â€˜Poor little mouse,’ giggled Freddie. ‘Fancy having to face the wrath of Olive! I say, June, he will be able to breathe inside the desk, won’t he?’
    â€˜Of course,’ answered June. ‘He won’t be in there for long, and I shall return him to his cage as soon as I can.’
    â€˜Shall we tell the others?’ asked Freddie.
    â€˜Yes, let’s,’ said June. ‘But we had better do it when Sylvia is not about. I don’t think that they went in much for jokes and tricks at her old school, for, in spite of her jolly, hearty attitude, she doesn’t have much of a sense of humour. And we certainly don’t want her warning Olive of what’s in store for her!’
    Freddie nodded and said, ‘You’re absolutely right about Sylvia. I told her one of my best jokes the other day, and when I had finished she simply looked puzzled. It was quite obvious that she didn’t understand it at all. A waste of a perfectly good joke, I thought!’
    â€˜Well, when Sylvia has been in the fourth form for a while, perhaps her sense of humour will come to the fore,’ said June.
    â€˜I don’t see how it can fail to,’ said Freddie. ‘Not once Sylvia realises what fun it is to play tricks and share jokes. That’s one of the good things about laughter—it’s infectious!’
    â€˜Well, one person certainly won’t be laughing tomorrow,’ said June, with a touch of malice. ‘And that will be dear Olive!’

6
A very successful trick
    The fourth formers were in a great state of excitement as they went into Miss Tallant’s class the next morning. Everyone but Sylvia—and Olive herself, of course—knew about the trick, and Olive looked puzzled as a few sly glances came her way.
    All the mice in the biology room were quite tame, and the one that June had picked up didn’t seem to mind being handled at all. He liked it in Olive’s desk as well, for there was plenty of room to run around, and lots of interesting things for him to sniff at. ‘Quiet, everyone!’ hissed Felicity, who was standing by the door. ‘Miss Tallant is coming.’
    The girls stood up politely as the mistress swept into the room. As usual, she was wearing one of the fussy, frilly blouses that she was so fond of, and a pair of earrings with enormous pink stones in them hung from her ears.
    Bonnie, playing up to Miss Tallant for all she was worth, said admiringly, ‘Oh, what a lovely blouse, Miss Tallant! You do look so pretty.’
    â€˜Why, thank you, Bonnie,’ said the mistress, preening a little, while the fourth formers grinned at one another. ‘Good morning, girls. Sit down, and we will continue withthe play that we began reading the other day. Get your books out, please.’
    The fourth formers watched with bated breath as Olive lifted the lid of her desk. But the little white mouse was hiding behind her pencil case, and the girl closed the lid again, without even realising that he was there.
    â€˜Never mind,’ whispered June to Freddie, Felicity and Susan. ‘Olive will have to open her desk again later to put the book away. She’s certain to spot the mouse then.’
    But the mouse had ideas of his own, and had no intention of waiting until the end of the