old Castle! This was indeed a dazzling prospect, and the problem
of deciding which friend it should be kept her occupied even when tea
was over, and she was undergoing the humiliation of putting herself to
bed in the chilly little cubicle. Should it be Margaret? No; for
Margaret, with all her sweetness, had little sense of humour, and though
Pixie could not reason out the matter for herself, she yet realised
instinctively that she would be uncomfortable and out of place in the
haphazard atmosphere of the Irish household. Should it be Kate? No,
that would not do either, for at first sight Kate was not prepossessing,
and the Major and the boys would certainly take a dislike to her
straightway. Should it be Flora--dear, fat, good-tempered Flora? But
what fun Esmeralda would make of her, to be sure, and how helpless she
would be when attacked by the boys' badinage! Pixie grew quite tired
and sleepy puzzling out the question; her eyelids drooped down and down
until the lashes rested upon her cheeks, and her thoughts passed
unconsciously into dreams.

Meantime, in the large classroom downstairs the other thirty pupils were
enjoying themselves with a zest all the greater for the dullness of the
weeks which had gone before. The floor had been sponged with milk until
it was quite smooth and slippery, a table supplied with such
refreshments as lemonade, ginger-beer, and sweet biscuits, was placed
outside the door, and the violin pupils took it in turns to accompany
the piano, so that nothing was lacking to enhance the grandeur of the
occasion. Pretty little programmes were distributed around the room;
blue for the ladies, pink for the "gentlemen," and after each dance the
couples marched round and round the room, conversing together as if they
were at "a real party," and tabooing the affairs of ordinary school
life. Then the gentlemen deposited their partners on chairs, and
inquired, "May I bring you a little refreshment?" until the last drop of
lemonade was drained, and only crumbs remained in the cake-baskets.
They were all flushed and panting with the vigour with which they had
joined in the dance, and at last Miss Phipps thought it wise to call a
halt.

"Now, ladies and gentlemen, you must really sit down for ten minutes!"
she cried laughingly. "If you get so overheated, you will be catching
chills next, and I am sure you don't want to be invalided just before
the holidays. Come and take your places round the ro