Bessie! Bessie!"Yes, mother," replied Bessie Challoner. "You'll be late for school, child, if you are not quick.""Bessie!" shouted her father at the top of his voice from below stairs."Bessie; late as usual.""I am really going, father; I am just ready," was the eager reply. Bessie caught up her sailor hat, shoved it carelessly over her mass of thick hair, and searched frantically round her untidy bedroom for the string bag which contained her schoolbooks.