supposed to go that way as a rule, but it's ever so much shorter, and
as to-day's the first day of term, I don't expect anyone will say very
much, even if we are caught."

She opened a green baize door which led into a short passage, closed at
the other end by another door--"to keep out the row," Jack explained,
as she held it open to let Geraldine through. The second door opened
into a square hall, carpeted with rich Oriental rugs, and lighted dimly
by a shaded lamp at the far end. A number of other doors opened into
the hall.

"The mistresses' sitting-rooms," said Jack, with a wave of her hand
towards them.

As she spoke she stumbled over a big black curly-haired retriever dog,
who lay stretched out on a rug, almost hidden in the dim light. She
pitched forward on her hands and knees over his slumbering form, and
Geraldine stopped short with a startled exclamation, as the dog rose
lazily to his feet.

Jack laughed merrily as she picked herself up from the floor.

"Bruno! You old wretch, tripping me up like that!" she said, stooping
to caress the big fellow. "Why, Geraldine, what on earth's the matter?
He won't hurt you," as, looking up, she caught sight of her companion's
frightened face.

"Are you--are you sure he won't?" Geraldine asked fearfully.

"Of course he won't! Why, Bruno's the best-tempered dog that ever was;
aren't you, Bruno, boy? Look, he wants to make friends with you--he's
putting up his paw to shake hands. Don't you like dogs?"

"N--not very much," said the new girl. "Not dogs I don't know. I like
some dogs, though. I've got a darling little fox-terrier of my very
own at home."

"Bruno belongs to Miss Oakley, but he's often about in the school, and
he's a perfect pet," said Jack. "Do shake hands with him! He wants
you to so much."

With an effort Geraldine conquered her nervousness sufficiently to take
the friendly paw the dog was still holding out to her. And when once
the introduction had been effected she lost her fear of him. Bruno,
certainly, appeared good-tempered enough, and he seemed to take a fancy
to the new girl. He followed the two girls back to the Lower Fifth
sitting-room, and once there he sat down as close to Geraldine as he
could get. It was quite difficult to persuade him to go back to his
proper quarters when at length the supper bell rang.

"Very forgiving of him, considering how rude you were to him to begin
with," laughed Jack, when at last they ha