ard--"

"Didn't give her a chance! Heard her ordering you, and nipped mine up
in a trice. Treat it as a matter of course, and don't seem to mind--
that's the tip! Only get yourself disliked by making a fuss."

"I know, but I _can't_ help it," sighed Rhoda dismally.

"I'm not used to bullying, and it makes me wild. My head's splitting.
I feel all churned up."

"Worse troubles at sea!" said Dorothy shortly, and after that there was
no more chance of conversation, for the queue moved on again, and they
were separated at breakfast as at dinner the night before. Thomasina
sat opposite to Rhoda, and pressed the various dishes upon her good-
temperedly, ignoring all causes of discord, an attitude which, if she
had only known it, but added to the score against her, for pride forced
a haughty "No, thanks," whilst appetite prompted "Yes, please." To sit
with empty plate, and see others feast on bread and marmalade is no
slight trial when one is fifteen and a-hungred, but no one urged Rhoda
to change her mind, or thought it possible to succeed where the Head
Girl failed.

There were no regular lessons during the morning, but a great deal of
confusing moving to and fro from one class-room to another, to go over
preliminary arrangements, and receive instructions from the mistresses.
Sometimes the new girls were ignored altogether, and then they felt
worms, and ready to sink through the earth; sometimes they were
questioned as to their attainments, and then the very walls seemed to
have ears, and their replies echoed through a deadly silence. Dorothy
attained a fair level throughout, and reaped neither praise nor blame,
but Rhoda knew alternate rapture and despair, as Mademoiselle and
Fraulein beamed approval, and the "class-mistress" put up her eye-
glasses and regarded her as one might regard a wild animal at the Zoo,
upon hearing that she had "done" no Latin or mathematics.

"You will not do much good at this school without them," she said,
severely. "They are the most important subjects. I advise you to give
all the time you can spare to working them up, and to get, if possible,
some coaching during the holidays. That is, of course, if you wish to
excel."

If she wished to excel! _If_, indeed! Did any one suppose for a moment
that Rhoda Chester would be content to remain among the rank and file?
Did they think that she could continue to be ignored, and live! Ten
thousand times no! "A day would come!" as Disr