Toronto without a maid or any grown-up to take care of her! That's the
strangest thing I ever heard. Weren't you just awfully scared all the
time?" asked Florita Sheraton, amazed. "An English girl would have
been in a blue funk every minute of the time."

"I don't know anything about a blue or other colored funk, but every
well-bred American girl can take care of herself if she chooses. If
she 'loses her head' she gets into trouble right away. I lost mine
last night and went riding off at dark with a strange old man, who
said he'd bring me here, instead of stepping into the telegraph office
and wiring the Lady Principal. Then all I'd have had to do would be to
wait for her to send for me, and after all it wasn't the old man who
brought me, it was Dr. Winston in his motor. He called here this
morning and asked me to ride back with him and see Robin, but Miss
Tross-Kingdon wouldn't let me."

"Course she wouldn't. She never lets anybody do anything she wants
to, if she can help it. Hateful old thing!" remarked Bessie Walters;
at which the others laughed and Annie Dow inquired, "Who is Robin?"

Dorothy told the story of last night, her new acquaintances listening
intently, and Winifred commenting:

"If you aren't the very luckiest girl in the world! Why I never had an
adventure in my life, yet I'm ages older than you."

At this a shout of derision rose, and Fannie Dimock exclaimed:

"Don't believe that, Queen Baltimore. There's scarcely a day passes
that she isn't in some scrape or other. Why, last term, she was in
disgrace so often I really believed she wouldn't be allowed to come
back."

"Oh! little things like that don't count. But--" she stopped speaking
so abruptly and such an earnest expression settled on her face that a
mate remarked:

"Look! There's something brewing this minute! Look out, Win, what you
do! Don't mix any of us up in your schemes. I don't want any more
extras so soon again;" then explained to Dorothy that "extras" were
some difficult lessons any culprit was obliged to learn.

Just then came the bell for mid-day luncheon, and all the Commons
except Winifred answered the summons promptly. But she lingered
behind, detaining Dorothy till the others were out of hearing, and
then suggested something to her which made her clap her hands in
delight. For the secret thus imparted seemed the simplest thing
possible and one in which, to Dolly's ignorance of Oak Knowe rules,
was entirely right.

Ar