packing, Carita. Come along. I'll help you first. That's
a motherly spirit, I'm sure."

"Yes, begin by spoiling me--that's right!"

Blue Bonnet gave the hand in hers a little squeeze.

"A little spoiling won't hurt you a bit. I doubt if a great deal would.
There are some people you can't spoil."

"I wouldn't advise you to try too hard," Carita laughed.

They stopped first at Blue Bonnet's room, which was two floors below
Carita's.

"I don't like your being so far away from me, at all," Blue Bonnet said,
as she turned on the light and laid her coat and hat on the bed. "That's
a silly rule having the younger girls all together on one floor. They
need the older girls to keep them straight."

"I fancy Fraulein can do that," Carita said resignedly, remembering the
eagle-faced teacher in charge of the hall. "Mary Boyd says she's a
pill!"

"A--what?"

"A pill! I asked Mary what that meant, and she said a _dose_. You
know--something you have to take and don't like."

Blue Bonnet's eyes roamed ceiling-ward and a queer expression curled her
lips.

"You must introduce Mary to Aunt Lucinda, Carita. It would, perhaps,
make her appreciate my vocabulary."

"I think I'm going to like her just the same."

"Aunt Lucinda?"

"Oh, no! I mean--that is--I like _her_, of course. I meant Mary Boyd, my
room-mate. She's awfully jolly."

Carita had arrived at the school in the afternoon and had been shown to
her room immediately, while Blue Bonnet finished some shopping with
Uncle Cliff and Aunt Lucinda.

"I think I'd like to see Mary Boyd. Let's go up to your room now and get
your things out of the trunk."

"Yes, we will, only my things are out. Mary helped me this afternoon
while you were away. I'm all settled."

Nevertheless Blue Bonnet led the way to the floor above.

Mary Boyd opened the door herself. She was just coming out of the room,
pitcher in hand, on the way to the bathroom for some cold water. She had
on a gay little kimono and her hair was neatly brushed and braided for
the night.

"Back again?" she said to Carita, with a smile.

"Yes, and this is my friend, Blue Bonnet Ashe."

"How do you do?" Mary said, pausing a moment. "First year here, too?"

"Yes, my first year."

Mary waved her hand toward the room.

"Make yourselves at home," she said hospitably. "Everything is in a
muss, yet. I only got in myself this morning. I'll be back in a minute."

"Don't you think she's nice?" Carita asked with enthu