en minutes to--"

But just then Betty gave a little cry of delight.

"Oh-oo! Just listen to this!" she cried. "Father says we are to go to
the shore this summer just for a change, and already he has rented the
summer place." She clapped her hands, and laughed with sheer happiness.

"Oh, I'm so glad to hear that to-night. I do believe I'll dream about
it," she said.

The half-hour for social chat was over, and dinner was half through when
Patricia and Arabella entered the dining-room.

All eyes were turned upon them.

Patricia held her chin very high, and looked as if she were thinking: "I
know I'm late, but what of that?" She was assuming a boldness that she
did not feel, whereas Arabella was absolutely natural. She felt
frightened, and looked--just as she felt.

"Wouldn't you like to know what they wished?" whispered Valerie, to
which Betty whispered in reply:

"I'd like to know, but they wouldn't tell us."

It was a fixed rule at Glenmore that the pupils must be present at the
social half-hour, and then be sure of being prompt at six, the dinner
hour. Patricia and Arabella were the first to break that rule.

* * * * *

There was to be a week's vacation, and all but four of the pupils were
to spend it at home.

They were Patricia and Arabella, Dorothy, and Nancy.

Mrs. Dainty and Aunt Charlotte were still traveling, and Mrs. Vane had
asked Vera to bring Dorothy and Nancy home with her for the week.
Already they had planned enough pleasure to last a month, and Vera was
still racking her busy brain to think of other things that they might
do.

The pupils were welcome to remain at Glenmore if they wished, and
Patricia had decided that that was just what she would do.

Arabella had hesitated. She was fond of her father, and she had intended
to go home for the week, but Patricia had declared that they would stay
at Glenmore, and Arabella was no match for Patricia, so it was settled
that they would remain at the school.

The week at Vera's home opened charmingly.

Mrs. Vane had given the week over to Vera and her three little guests.

"It isn't quite a week," she said when she greeted them, "for you have
arrived Monday afternoon, and you must leave Saturday morning. That
gives us Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, and we must make each
day delightful."

"It always is delightful here," said Dorothy, "and it seemed so good to
come to you when mother was away."

Mr