"Our Christmas presents, you mean," said Emma Jane. "The pillow-cases
are from Mrs. Cobb, the rug from cousin Mary in North Riverboro, the
scrap-basket from Living and Dick. We gave each other the bureau and
cushion covers, and the screen is mine from Mr. Ladd."

"Well, you were lucky when you met him! Gracious! I wish I could meet
somebody like that. The way he keeps it up, too! It just hides your
bed, doesn't it, and I always say that a bed takes the style off any
room--specially when it's not made up; though you have an alcove, and
it's the only one in the whole building. I don't see how you managed to
get this good room when you're such new scholars," she finished
discontentedly.

"We shouldn't have, except that Ruth Berry had to go away suddenly on
account of her father's death. This room was empty, and Miss Maxwell
asked if we might have it," returned Emma Jane.

"The great and only Max is more stiff and standoffish than ever this
year," said Huldah. "I've simply given up trying to please her, for
there's no justice in her; she is good to her favorites, but she
doesn't pay the least attention to anybody else, except to make
sarcastic speeches about things that are none of her business. I wanted
to tell her yesterday it was her place to teach me Latin, not manners."

"I wish you wouldn't talk against Miss Maxwell to me," said Rebecca
hotly. "You know how I feel."

"I know; but I can't understand how you can abide her."

"I not only abide, I love her!" exclaimed Rebecca. "I wouldn't let the
sun shine too hot on her, or the wind blow too cold. I'd like to put a
marble platform in her class-room and have her sit in a velvet chair
behind a golden table!"

"Well, don't have a fit!--because she can sit where she likes for all
of me; I've got something better to think of," and Huldah tossed her
head.

"Isn't this your study hour?" asked Emma Jane, to stop possible
discussion.

"Yes, but I lost my Latin grammar yesterday; I left it in the hall half
an hour while I was having a regular scene with Herbert Dunn. I haven't
spoken to him for a week and gave him back his class pin. He was simply
furious. Then when I came back to the hall, the book was gone. I had to
go down town for my gloves and to the principal's office to see if the
grammar had been handed in, and that's the reason I'm so fine."

Huldah was wearing a woolen dress that had once been gray, but had been
dyed a brilliant blue. She had added three rows