The Blue Castle by Lucy Maud Montgomery Chapter 8 Page 9

making dust-piles. The aim of each girl was to have the biggest pile. Valancy was good at making dust-piles — there was an art in it — and she had secret hopes of leading. But Olive, working off by herself, was suddenly discovered to have a larger dust-pile than anybody. Valancy felt no jealousy. Her dust-pile was quite big enough to please her. Then one of the older girls had an inspiration.

“Let’s put all our dust on Olive’s pile and make a tremendous one,” she exclaimed.

A frenzy seemed to seize the girls. They swooped down on the dust-piles with pails and shovels and in a few seconds Olive’s pile was a veritable pyramid. In vain Valancy, with scrawny, outstretched little arms, tried to protect hers. She was ruthlessly swept aside, her dust-pile scooped up and poured on Olive’s.