ht a glimpse of Gyp ahead,
surrounded by chums, all trying to exchange in a brief moment the entire
summer's experiences. She looked wildly around for a familiar face. She
caught one little glimpse of Ginny Cox, who smiled at her across a dozen
heads, then rushed away with the others.

In the Assembly room a spirit of gaiety prevailed. The eager faces of
the boys and girls smiled at the faculty, sitting in prim rows on the
stage; the faculty smiled back. There was stirring music until the last
pupil had found her place. Then, just as Dr. Caton, the dignified
principal, rose to his feet, a boy whom Jerry from her corner recognized
as Dana King, leaped to the front, threw both arms wildly in the air
with a gesture that plainly commanded: "Come on, fellows," and the
beamed ceiling rang with a lusty cheer.

Dr. Caton greeted the students with a few pleasant words. There were
more cheers, then everyone sang. Jerry thought it all very jolly. She
wondered if "assembly" was always like this. She recalled suddenly how
agitated poor Miss Sarah always became if there was the slightest noise
in that stuffy schoolroom, back at the Notch.

"Look--there's the new gym. teacher--on the end--Barbara Lee," whispered
Jerry's neighbor, excitedly.

Jerry looked with interest. In the entire faculty she had not found
anyone who resembled, even ever so slightly, poor Miss Sarah. Miller's
Notch, of course, had no gymnasium, therefore it had not needed any
gymnasium assistant. Jerry had imagined that a gym. teacher must,
necessarily, be a sort of young Amazon, with a strong, hard face. Miss
Lee was slender and looked like one of the schoolgirls.

It had always been the custom at Lincoln School, on the opening day, to
assign the new pupils to the care of the Seniors. These assignments were
posted on the bulletin boards. Jerry did not know this: she did not know
that Isobel Westley had been appointed her "guardian." Before assembly,
Isobel had read her name on the lists and had promptly declared: "I just
_won't_! Let her get along the best way she can." So, when assembly was
over, Jerry found herself drifting helplessly, forlornly elbowed here
and there, too shy to ask questions, valiantly trying to beat down the
desire to run away. She envied the assurance with which the others, even
the new girls, seemed to know just where they ought to go. She had not
laid eyes on Gyp after that one fleeting glimpse on the stairs.

Suddenly a hand touched