thers. There's Susan Heathfield; she is all
alone," said Merry. "But one moment first, please, Maggie. Are you
going to make Molly and Isabel bind themselves by the same promise?"

"Dear me, no!" said Maggie. "They will naturally be my friends without
any effort; but you are the one I want, for you are the one I truly
love."

"Hallo! there you are," called Andrew's voice, "hobnobbing, as usual,
with Merry Cardew."

"I say, Merry," cried Jack, "it is unfair of you to take our Maggie
away on her last day."

The two boys now rushed up.

"I am going to cry bottles-full to-morrow," said Andrew; "and,
although I am a boy, about to be a man, I'm not a bit ashamed of it."

"I'll beat you at that," said Jackdaw, "for I'll cry basins-full."

"Dear me, boys, how horrid of you!" said Maggie. "What on earth good
will crying do to me? And you'll both be so horribly limp and damp
after it."

"Well, come now," said Jackdaw, pulling her by one arm while Peterkin
secured the other.--"You've had your share of her, Merry, and it's our
turn."

Maggie and her devoted satellites went off in the direction where the
bonfire was to be made; and Merry, walking slowly, joined Susan
Heathfield.

Susan was more than two years older than Merry, and on that account
the younger girls looked up to her with a great deal of respect. Up to
the present, however, they had had no confidential talk.

Susan now said, "So you are to be a schoolgirl after all?"

"Yes. Isn't it jolly?" said Merry.

"Oh, it has its pros and cons," replied Susan. "In one sense, there is
no place like school; but in the best sense of all there is no place
like home."

"Were you long at school, Susan?"

"Of course; Mary and I went to a school in Devonshire when we were
quite little girls. I was eleven and Mary ten. Afterwards we were at a
London school, and then we went to Paris. We had an excellent time at
all our schools; but I think the best fun of all was the thought of
the holidays and coming home again."

"That must be delightful," said Merry. "Did you make many friends at
school?"

"Well, of course," said Susan. "But now let me give you a word of
advice, Merry. You are going to a most delightful school, which, alas!
we were not lucky enough to get admitted to, although mother tried
very hard. It may be different at Aylmer House from what it is in the
ordinary school, but I would strongly advise you and Cicely not to
join any clique at school."

"Oh dea