here, you mad thing!" said Vi. "Can't you tell us who you really
are?"

"Miss Judkins."

"No, no! Your real name! Stop ragging!"

Once more the half-witted, shambling figure gave place to a sparkling,
self-possessed, laughing young witch of fourteen, who with another mock
curtsy introduced herself.

"Diana Hewlitt--quick-change artiste. Entertainments arranged at any
moment. Reserved seats, five shillings. Proceeds to the Red Cross Fund.
Oh, I believe at first I really _did_ take you in!"

"You did," admitted Wendy; "because, of course, we weren't expecting it.
We shall know you better now, and be prepared. I say, you're rather a
sport! Where have you turned up from? Miss Todd said only an hour ago
there weren't any new girls."

"No doubt she told the truth. There weren't then! Why, an hour since we
were just half-way between Glassenrigg and Scawdale, pelting along at
about double the speed limit. Miss Todd didn't even know of my
existence. I've been dropped upon her like a bolt from the blue. I must
say I admired the calm way she fixed up to take me, all in ten minutes.
Most Britishers wouldn't have fallen in so quickly with Dad's lightning
methods, but she seemed to understand right away."

"Are you American, then?"

"Rather! I was born under the Stars and Stripes. Never saw England till
we crossed this summer. Dad's just been called over to Paris, and d'you
know, they've let Mother go with him, but they wouldn't give _me_ a
passport. Wasn't it real mean of them? I do think the War Office is the
limit! Well, of course, the question was: what could be done with me. I
said: 'Leave me at Petteridge'. But Mother said: 'No; I'm not going to
dump you on Cousin Coralie; she'd be down with nervous exhaustion at the
end of a fortnight. School's the place for you, and we've got to rake
round and find a school in double-quick time'. Dad nodded, and just rang
up and ordered the car, and we started out with no more idea than the
man in the moon where I was going to be landed. I'm glad fate tossed me
here, though. It looks nice; kind of a real old-world flavour about the
place, somehow. I'm crazy on old things--Scott's novels, you know, and
castles, and all the rest of it. When I heard this was called Pendlemere
Abbey, I said: 'That'll do! Take me there!' So here I am!"

"It takes one's breath away," commented Tattie. "I don't know that I'd
like to be whisked off to school in such a precious hurry myself."

"It's rather