ery lively for me alone at home with her tantrums!"

Flora chuckled softly, and Ethel give a shrill "He! he!" from her
cubicle at the other end of the room.

"I do think you must be the funniest family! You seem always to be
doing the most extraordinary things. We never have such experiences at
home. We used to go along quietly and steadily, and there is never any
hubbub nor excitement. You seem to have a constant succession of alarms
and adventures."

"We do so!" said Pixie with relish. "Scarcely the day that we're not
all rushing about in distraction about something. Either it's the boys
tumbling out of the barn and cutting themselves open, or father bringing
home accidents from the meet, or the ferret getting loose in the
drawing-room when there's visitors present, or not a pound of fresh meat
in the house, and the Bishop taking it into his head to drive over ten
miles to lunch! And Bridgie was for going out and killing a chicken,
and engaging him in conversation while it was cooked, but mother says,
`No, the man's hungry! Bring lunch in the same as if we were alone, and
leave the rest to me.' And when he had asked the blessing she says,
smiling, `It's nothing but ham and eggs I've got to offer ye, Bishop,
but there's enough welcome for ten courses,' and the smile of him would
have done you good to behold. Three eggs he ate, and half a pig
besides, and `It's the best lunch I've had since I said good-bye to
short jackets,' he said when he was finished."

"Now, now, Pixie, not so much talking! Get on with your own dressing,
you little chatterbox!" cried Kate, putting her head round the corner of
the curtain and giving a tug to the end of the short black skirt.
"Flora can manage now, and you have not too much time, if you are to
catch Lottie before she goes out. Hurry up! Hurry up!"

Pixie retired obediently, for Kate was head girl of the dormitory, and
must needs be obeyed; so one black frock came off and another went on,
the stout boots were exchanged for slippers, and then--the others having
already departed--she turned down the gas, and skipped along to the room
where Lottie stood waiting for her, a vision of spotless white.

"That's right! I was just wondering what had become of you. Sit down
here, and I'll put on the collar, and just call out if I stick a pin in
you by mistake. I'm going to fasten it with this little brooch. There!
Isn't it sweet? I think I will give it to you to keep. I ne