cake, and
jellies, which fully justified Linda's remark that "Heathercliffe
House seemed almost as much parties as school".

Then came the exciting afternoon when the boxes were carried down from
the boxroom and everybody set to work to pack, with the help of the
monitresses and Miss Coleman. It was a most delightful, noisy,
blissful time, when there were no forfeits if one ran into anybody
else's room, or even jumped on the bed, when nobody had to practise or
learn lessons, and one could shout and sing in the schoolroom. Connie
Camden flung her history up to the ceiling, and did not mind in the
least when it lost its back in its descent.

"Miss Arkwright will be dreadfully cross about it when we begin
history again," said Marian.

"I don't care! That's a whole month off, and we've all the holidays
first. No school for four weeks, and going home to-morrow! Hooray!"
shouted Connie at the pitch of her lungs, waltzing among the desks
with such vigour that she knocked over the blackboard, and got a
scolding after all from Miss Arkwright, who happened at that moment to
enter the room.

"You must control yourself, Connie. I can't have such wild behaviour
even if it is the last day," she said firmly.

"Oh, Miss Arkwright," cried Connie, "you can't want to go home half as
badly as I do!"

"Indeed I do," said the mistress. "I shall enjoy my holidays quite as
much as anybody, though I have learnt not to dance round the desks to
show my pleasure."

The girls laughed. The idea of Miss Arkwright executing a Highland
fling or a jig between the forms tickled their fancy.

"I could imagine Miss Kaye doing it easier than Miss Arkwright,"
whispered Linda. "She did dance a reel, you know, at the party."

Everybody got into bed that night with the happy feeling that boxes
were packed and ready, and that to-morrow morning, when the last
necessaries were popped in, they would only need to be strapped and
labelled, and then the joyful opening would be at home. Most of the
girls were too excited to eat much breakfast, but Miss Kaye, knowing a
reaction would probably take place in the train, had provided packets
of sandwiches and biscuits, and did not scold for once at the
half-finished plates of porridge.

At ten o'clock cabs began to drive up to the door, and parties of
chattering, laughing girls departed to the railway station under the
care of Miss Barrett.

Sylvia had enquired anxiously some time ago if Mercy were to stay at