rs, all
too occupied with their own affairs even to realize her existence, was a
little disconcerting to even her easy self-confidence. She was beginning
to wonder how long she would remain unnoticed, and was trying to screw
up her courage to venture a remark to one of her nearest neighbours,
when a plain girl in spectacles broke the ice.

"What's your name, and where do you come from?"

Aldred started at the abruptness of the question and turned to face the
speaker, who continued with a smile: "We always put new-comers through a
catechism. I want to know your age, and what class and dormitory you're
in, and which teacher you're to learn music from, and whether you're
going to take dancing and wood-carving. Oh! so you're in the
Fourth--that's my form, as it happens. My name's Ursula Bramley, and I'm
fourteen and a half. We have a very decent time at Birkwood. There's any
amount of fun going on, as you'll soon find out. Wait till we start the
Debating Society and the Cooking Class! Have you been measured yet for a
gymnasium costume? Of course, there has not been an opportunity, but
Miss Drummond is sure to see about it to-morrow--and a cooking apron
too, if you haven't already got one."

Aldred replied as briefly as possible to these various interrogations,
but Ursula seemed quite satisfied with "Yes" and "No" for an answer, and
rattled on: "I'm rather sorry for you, being put in No. 2 dormitory,
because you'll be with Fifth Form girls, and you can't expect them to be
particularly chummy with you. If there had only been room, now, in No.
5! But we're full up, all six beds; there isn't even a corner for a
shakedown. We have such jokes in the mornings, when we're getting up!
It's a pity you'll be out of it. I'd like you to see Dora Maxwell acting
a peacock; you'd simply scream! Of course, we daren't make too much
noise, or we should have a monitress pouncing down upon us; but it's
ever such fun, all the same. They're a very prim set in No. 2. They
never lost a single order mark last term! Well, if you can't be in our
dormitory you'll be with us in class, at any rate, and it isn't dull
there by any means, I can tell you."

"How many girls are there in the Fourth Form?" asked Aldred.

"There were seven before, but you'll make eight. Why, most of them are
in the room now, or on the lawn just outside, so I can point them out to
you. That's Phoebe Stanhope standing by the fireplace,--the one with
the long light pigtail and