ually early
hour. Long before the slightest hint of dawn showed in the sky the lamps
were lighted in the corridors, maids were scuttling about, bringing in
breakfast, and Jones, the gardener, assisted by his eldest boy, a sturdy
grinning urchin of twelve, was beginning the process of carrying down
piles of hand-bags and hold-alls, and stacking them on a cart which was
waiting in the drive outside.

Miss Walters, dreading the Christmas rush on the railway, had determined
to take time by the forelock, and meant to pack off her pupils by the
first available trains, trusting they would most of them reach their
destinations before the overcrowding became a serious problem in the
traffic. The pupils themselves offered no objections to this early
start. The sooner they reached home and began the holidays, so much the
better from their point of view. It was fun to get up by lamp-light,
when the stars were still shining in the sky; fun to find that rules
were relaxed, and for once they might chatter and talk as they pleased;
fun to run unreproved along the passages, sing on the stairs, and twirl
one another round in an impromptu dance in the hall.

The particular occupants of the Blue Bedroom had been astir even before
the big bell clanged for rising, so they stole a march over rival
dormitories, performed their toilets, packed their hand-bags, strapped
their wraps, and proceeded downstairs to the dining-hall, where cups and
plates were just being laid upon the breakfast-table. It was quite
superfluous energy on the part of Lilias, Dulcie, Gowan, and Bertha, for
as a matter of fact not one of them was on the list of earliest
departures, but the excitement of the general exodus had awakened them
as absolutely as the advent of Santa Claus on Christmas mornings. They
stood round the newly-lighted fire, warming their hands, chatting, and
hailing fresh arrivals who hurried into the hall.

"You going by the 6.30, Edith? You lucker! My train doesn't start till
ten! I begged and implored Miss Walters to let me leave by the early
one, and wait at the junction, but she would not hear of it, so I've got
to stop here kicking my heels, and watch you others whisked away. Isn't
it a grisly shame?"

Gowan's round rosy face was drawn into a decided pout, and her blue eyes
were full of self-pity. She had to be sorry for her own grievance,
because nobody else had either time or much inclination to sympathize;
they were all far too much excited