Chapter VI.

Romantic Gates

Meantime Viki decided to attend Tournament. She went to the welcome on Friday, met V.U.C.'s Tournament Renegades, Messrs. Bed and Board, and went home dreaming of the opening of gates of romance, Bed or Board? Thrills or security? While she hesitated, they were lost to her. In any case, she consoled herself, Bed was very long, very narrow and very wooden.

Viki came up to V.U.C. early on Saturday morning and met a bright-eyed boy who introduced himself as Warm Kneed. He asked her to go up to the Hot Gardens to see the glowworms, so our heroine spent all Saturday plumbing the darkest recesses of the gardens searching for the delusive glow-worm. As the ex-chaperone explained to her later, Warm was so innocent he wouldn't know that glowworms only shone at night.

Anyway, Viki was so exhausted that she spent all Sunday in bed, until the night came and the shadows fell, and the busy world was hushed, and Viki sallied forth to St. Paul's to the Tournament Church Service. On the way she had a car accident, but managed to arrive in time. She sang the hymns cheerfully and went home uplifted.

Chapter VII.

Fall from Grace

On Monday Viki Did her Bit for the Queen Carnival. She took part in the Varsity Procession. She sat on top of one of the lorries with her long skirts flying in the wind, and precariously maintained her balance until an unfortunate belch from within one of the cars was multiplied by the amplifying system, and rocking from building to building precipitated Viki from her seat into the [unclear: lans] of the Larking Party.

Chapter VIII.

The Ball

Viki looked shyly back at herself from the mirror. With wide blue eyes and silky fair hair, and a white frock billowing from a slender waist, she looked enchanting. With an excited little laugh she caught up her wrap and danced downstairs. "The Waterloo Hotel," she directed the waiting cab breathlessly, and in a few more minutes was waiting in an opulent room for her partner, Barrel Step-on-the-Gas. She looked idly around and was surprised to see three other girls she knew slightly—May Best, Miss Chasem (who later was exposed as a Female Impersonator), and Sue. Barrel was certainly rolling in partners! However this slight matter cleared itself up fairly soon, the missing bracers were found, and Viki So enjoyed the Ball.

As she sought her little white bed Viki told herself that she would never, never, Never miss another Tournament. They were Such Fun.