02 Jo of the Chalet School Read Online Free PDF Page A

enthusiasm. -
    Do you like honey, Robin? Will you have some more?’
    The Robin accepted some more honey and another roll. She was very quiet, watching everything with big eyes, and listening to everything that was said.
    ‘What are you people going to do?’ asked the young head-mistress as they finished their Frühstück . ‘I’m going down to Innsbruck to-morrow, and I’ll take you with me to help carry the parcels, and so on. What do you want to do to-day?’
    They considered. ‘May we take the boat to Buchau and walk to Seehof?’ asked Joey finally ‘We can carry the Robin if she gets tired. We might go directly after Mittagessen , and get tea there, and then come back by the boat. They give you such gorgeous cakes at the Seehof hotel!’
    ‘Very well; you may do that. This morning, I think you had better show the Robin Briesau. Don’t tire her, though!’ Miss Bettany smiled at the small eager face under the black curls which was raised to hers. ‘Do you like walking, Robin?’
    ‘Ve’ree much, t’ank you,’ replied the Robin promptly.
    ‘Very well then. That’s arranged. Now trot along and make your beds. Do you want to go with them, Bubchen ?’
    The Robin nodded, and slipped down from her chair, and trotted happily out of the room with them.
    Miss Maynard stood looking after them. ‘Poor little soul!’ she murmured.
    Miss Bettany nodded. ‘Yes, indeed! I don’t like the idea of Captain Humphries going to Russia! One hears such dreadful stores about happenings there.’
    ‘She’s such a baby,’ said her colleague. ‘Well, talking won’t alter things. What shall we do to-day?’
    ‘I want the new dormitory over here put right,’ replied Miss Bettany. ‘We can put the curtains up, now that the beds are in place. Then, there’s Mademoiselle’s at Le Petit Chalet, and yours here to put in order.
    There’s heaps to do, goodness knows! Shall we go up and do the long dormitory first?’
    Miss Maynard agreed, and they ran upstairs, and were soon busy with the pretty pale-green curtains of the big dormitory that ran right across the house from back to front. It was under the roof, so that in the middle it was quite lofty, and at the sides it was very low. A long window ran across the wall at each end, and the door was in the middle at one side. There was room here for four cubicles, and Madge had planned to put Gisela Marani, the head girl here, also Bernhilda Mensch, Grizel Cochrane, and Bette Rincini, the other senior boarders. Juliet Carrick was to remain head of the big dormitory immediately beneath, which had eight beds in it.
    The room which Miss Maynard had occupied during the previous term was to be made into a bedroom for two, and Mademoiselle’s old room would hold three. Over at Le Petit Chalet there would be nine small girls, with Mademoiselle in charge.
    ‘And,’ said Miss Bettany as she finished draping the last pretty curtain, ‘if we get any more older girls as boarders, I must send Simone Lecoutier and Margia Stevens over as well. That will mean arranging another dormitory.’
    ‘Who will be in the lower one?’ queried Miss Maynard.
    ‘Oh, Juliet, Joey, Gertrud, and the four new girls, Paul von Rothenfels, Rosalie Dene, Vanna di Ricci, and Evadne Lannis. The Hamels have taken that little chalet near the Post; and Anita and Giovanna Rincini may come, or they may not! I do wish people would make up their minds, and not dither like this.’
    ‘Are the Merciers going to Le Petit Chalet?’
    Miss Bettany stopped short, and expression of horror on her face. ‘My dear! I had absolutely forgotten about the Merciers!’
    ‘And you haven’t given Simone and Margia a place yet. Are you going to put them in Mademoiselle’s old room?’
    ‘Yes. They’re about the same age; and for Joey’s sake I think it better to separate her and Simone. Well, Suzanne can go with them, and Yvette will, of course, go over to Le Petit Chalet!’ She sat down on the nearest bed. ‘Well, I never