r at
the College, and because at first she had been such a pathetic little
figure in her deep mourning, the girls had petted her, and had continued
an indulgent attitude long after the black dress had been exchanged for
colors. If Fil had rather got into the habit of posing as the mascot of
the form, she certainly deserved some consideration, for she was a dear
little thing, with a very sweet temper, and never made any of the
ill-natured remarks that some of the other girls flung about like
missiles. She was so manifestly unfitted to take her own part that
somebody else invariably took it for her.

Verity Richmond, who, with Nora, Filomena and Ingred, represented
VA. in the hostel, was a brisk, up-to-date, go-ahead girl, full
of fun and high spirits. She was a capital mimic, and had a turn for
repartee that, quite good-naturedly, laid any adversary flat in the
dust. If Nora and Fil were like rose and lily, she was decidedly the
robin of the party. Her fair complexion seemed to add force to the
brightness of her twinkling brown eyes, and her general restlessness and
quick alert ways made one think of a bird always hopping about. Though
not quite such a romp as Nora, she was ready for any fun that was going,
and intended to get as much enjoyment as possible out of the coming
term. She linked herself now on to Fil's disengaged arm, taking the
latter's pile of books with her own and began towing her two friends in
the direction of the hostel.

"I've hardly had time even for a squint at our dormitory yet," she
announced. "Mrs. Best said I was late, and made me pop down my bag and
fly; but she told me we were all four together, so I went off with an
easy mind. I'd been worrying for fear I'd be boxed up with some kids, or
sandwiched in among the Sixth. I told you Ingred was to be with us,
didn't I? Let's go and hunt her out; she'll have wiped her eyes and got
over her jim-jams by now. We'll have time to do some unpacking before
tea, if they've carried up our boxes."

The hostel was a separate house, built at the opposite side of the
school playground. It could accommodate thirty girls, and twenty-six
were already entered on its register. After a brief peep into the
attractive dining-hall, and an equally pleasant-looking boarders'
sitting-room, the three girls went upstairs to a dormitory marked 2.
They found Ingred already at work on her task of unpacking, putting
clothes away in drawers, and spreading the shelf that served