opes of
Highacres, velvety green, and the new friend at her side.

"I'm so _glad_ Uncle Johnny found you!"

CHAPTER VIII

SCHOOL

In the Westley home each school day had always begun with a rite that
would some day be a sacred memory to Mrs. Westley, because it belonged
to the precious childhood of her girls and boy. Graham called it
"inspection." It had begun when the youngsters had first started school,
Isobel and Graham proudly in the "grades," Gyp in kindergarten. The
mother had, each morning, laughingly stood them in a row and looked them
over. More than once poor Graham had declared that it was because his
ears were so big that mother could always find dirt somewhere; sometimes
it was Isobel who was sent back to smooth her hair or Gyp to wash her
teeth or Tibby for her rubbers. But after the inspection there was
always a "good-luck" kiss for each and a carol of "good-by, mother" from
happy young throats.

So on this day that was to mark the opening of the Lincoln School at
Highacres, Jerry stood in line with the others and, though each young
person was faultlessly ready for this first day of school, Mrs. Westley
laughingly pulled Graham's ears, smiled reminiscently at Isobel's
primness, smoothed with a loving hand Gyp's rebellious black locks and
thought, as she looked at Jerry, of what Uncle Johnny had said about her
eyes reflecting golden dreams from within. And when she called Tibby
"littlest one" none of them could know that, as she looked at them and
realized that another year was beginning, it stirred a little heartache
deep within her.

"Aren't mothers funny?" reflected Gyp as she and Jerry swung down the
street. They had preferred to walk.

"Oh----" Jerry had to control her voice. "_I_ think they're grand!"

"I mean--they're so _fussy_. When I have children I'm just going to
leave them plumb alone. I don't care what they'll look like."

"You will, though," laughed Jerry. "Because you'll love them. If our
mothers didn't love us so much I suppose they'd leave us alone. That
would be dreadful!"

Jerry had slept very little the night before for anticipation. And now
that the great moment was approaching close she was obsessed by the fear
that she "wouldn't know what to do." The fear grew very acute when she
was swept by Gyp into a crowd of noisy girls, all rushing for space in
the dressing-rooms. Then, at the ringing of a bell, she was hurried with
the others up the wide stairway. She caug