othin' ter
nobody--that ol' maid."

"But 'most of the girls and boys of Poketown go to school to her, don't
they?" asked Janice.

"Them whose folks can't send 'em to the Middleboro Academy," admitted
her aunt.

"Then I'm going up to get acquainted after dinner," announced Janice.
"I--I had so many friends in Greensboro--so many, many girls at
school--and some of the boys were real nice--and the teachers--and
other folks. Oh, dear! I expect it's Daddy I miss most of all, and if
I don't pretty soon find something to _do_--something to take a real
interest in--I'll never be able to stand having him 'way down there in
Mexico and me up here, not knowing what's happening to him!"

The girl's voice broke and the tears stood in her eyes. Her
earnestness made even Marty silent for the moment. Aunt Almira leaned
over and patted her hand.

"You go on to the school, if ye think ye got to. I'd go with ye an'
introduce ye ter 'Rill Scattergood if I didn't have so much to do. It
does seem as though I allus was behindhand with my work."

A little later, when Janice, in her neat summer frock and beribboned
shade-hat, passed down Hillside Avenue, she was conscious of a good
many people staring at her--more now than when she had come up the hill
with her uncle several days before.

Here and there some attempts had been made to grow flowers in the
yards, or to keep neat borders and rake the walks. But for the most
part Hillside Avenue displayed a forlorn nakedness to the eye that made
Janice more than ever homesick for Greensboro.

The schoolbell had ceased ringing before she turned into High Street
and began to ascend the hill again, so there were no young folks in
sight.

Higher up the main street of Poketown there were few stores, but the
dwellings were no more attractive. Nobody seemed to take any pride in
this naturally beautiful old town.

Janice realized that she was a mark for all idle eyes. Strangers were
not plentiful in Poketown.

She came at length in sight of the school. It was set in the middle of
a square, ugly, unfenced yard, without a tree before it or a blooming
bush or vine against its dull red walls. The sun beat upon it hotly,
and it did seem as though the builders must have intended to make
school as hateful as possible to the girls and boys who attended.

The windows and doors were open, and a hum came from within like that
of a swarming hive of bees. Janice went quietly to the nearest doo