ncy, and I expect will be in the fourth form.
You had better leave your books and have a little chat beside the fire,
until Miss Drake is ready. You may tell her that I gave you
permission."

She left the room and shut the door behind her, and Dreda was left face
to face with her new companions.

CHAPTER EIGHT.

For a moment the six girls retained their former positions, staring with
blank, expressionless faces at the new comer. Then Mary Webster, the
eldest of the "Currant Buns," advanced with outstretched hand, followed
by her two younger sisters.

"How do you do?"

"How do you do?"

"How do you do?"

"So glad to see you."

"So glad--"

"Very glad--"

The murmurs died into silence, while Dreda smiled a radiant
encouragement.

"Quite well, thank you. But rather cold. May we poke the fire? My
feet--"

She tapped expressively on the floor, whereupon Mary Webster poked
discreetly at the fire and Susan, the youngest of the sisters, pushed a
chair into the cosiest corner. The other three girls had come forward
by this time, and introduced themselves in due form.

"How do you do? I'm Barbara Moore. It's hateful to be a new girl!"

"How do you do? I'm Norah Grey. Sorry you're cold."

"How do you do? I'm Nancy. Tell me truthfully--_Do you snore_?"

Dreda laughed gaily.

"Sometimes--when I lie on my back. I do it on purpose, because you
dream such thrilling dreams. And I yell horribly when I come to the bad
bits."

"Something will have to be done!" said Nancy, darkly. She was the girl
with the band over her front teeth. It was ugly, but fascinating; one
felt constrained to look at it, and looking at it could not help
noticing how curved and red were the lips, how darkly lashed the long
grey eyes. Nancy was evidently a person to be reckoned with. She sat
herself down by the fire, stretched out her feet to the blaze, and
appeared to be lost in thought. Dreda longed to talk to her, to inquire
what she meant by that mysterious "something," but the "Currant Buns"
were clustering round her, regarding her with anxiously proprietary airs
as if, having the honour of a personal acquaintance, it was their due to
receive the first attention. Dreda felt quite like a celebrity, on the
point of being interviewed by a trio of reporters; but as usual she
preferred to play the part of questioner herself.

"Were you doing prep when I came in? What classes are you taking to-
day? I feel as if I