The Naughtiest Girl in the School Read Online Free PDF Page B

moment and saw Elizabeth there.
    “Hallo, kid,” she said. “Do you want your things back? Well, apologize and you can have them.”
     But Elizabeth was not going to say she was sorry. She made a rude face at Nora, and flung herself into bed.
    “Well, you are a sweet child, aren’t you!” said Nora mockingly. “I hope you get out at the right side of your bed tomorrow!” Then there was a creak as Nora sat on her bed to take off her stockings. A clock struck half-past eight downstairs.
    “No more talking now,” said Nora. “Sleep tight, all of you!”

 CHAPTER 6
    Elizabeth joins her Class
    Elizabeth wondered where she was when she awoke the next morning, but she soon remembered. She was at that horrid school!
    A bell rang. Nora sat up in her bed and spoke to the others. Thats the bell for getting up, she said. Stir yourselves! Youve got half an hour.
    Elizabeth thought she wouldnt get up. She lay there warm in her bed, and looked up at the white ceiling.
    Noras voice came sharply to her. Elizabeth Allen! Are you getting up or are you not?
    Not, said Elizabeth cheekily.
    Well , Im in charge of you five, and its my job to get you down to breakfast in good time, said Nora, poking her nose round the curtain, Get up, you lazy creature!
    Are you a monitor? asked Elizabeth, remembering the boy of the evening before.

    I am, said Nora. Come on, get up, Elizabeth, and dont make yourself such a nuisance.
    Elizabeth still lay there. Nora nodded to plump Ruth, and the two went beside Elizabeths bed. Together they stripped all the clothes off the lazy girl, and then tipped up the mattress. Elizabeth gave a shriek and slid on to the floor. She was very angry.
    She rushed at Nora-but Nora was big and strong, and caught hold of the angry girls arms at once.
     Dont be silly now, she said. Get dressed and hurry up or Ill spank you with a hairbrush! Monitors do that sometimes, you know!
    Elizabeth felt that she couldnt bear to be spanked by Nora. She washed very sulkily, dressed, cleaned her teeth and did her hair. She was just going downstairs when Nora, who had gone into everyones cubicle to see if they were tidy, called her back.
    Elizabeth! Come and put your chest-of-drawers tidy! Do you want me to put the rest of your things into the locked box? Elizabeth went back and tidied her things. It was quicker to do that than argue with Nora.
    She wondered if Nora would notice that she had put socks on instead of the long brown stockings! But Nora didnt notice. She was in too big a hurry to get down to breakfast in time, and besides, she didnt dream that anyone would wear socks instead of stockings at Whyteleafe School! But a great many of the other children noticed Elizabeths bare legs at once, and giggled.

    Miss Thomas noticed them too, and called to Elizabeth, Youve put the wrong things on, Elizabeth. You must change your socks for stockings afterwards.
    But Elizabeth didnt! When she went up to make her bed afterwards, she didnt change at all.
    Nora saw that she hadnt and spoke to her, For goodness sake put stockings on, Elizabeth. Really, I shouldnt have thought anyone could be quite so silly as you seem to be!
    Im not silly, said Elizabeth I prefer socks. Stockings make my legs too hot. And Im going to keep my socks on.
    Ruth spoke to Nora. Nora, Elizabeth is really babyish, she said. And the babies at Whyteleafe are allowed to wear socks, arent they? Ive seen them in the Kindergarten, with their dear little bare legs. Well, why not let Elizabeth keep her socks, to show that she is really only a baby, though shes getting on for eleven? You can easily explain that to Miss Thomas.
    Thats a good idea, said Nora, with a laugh. All right, Elizabeth-keep your socks on, and well explain to everyone that were letting you because youre really not much more than a baby!
    The girls went out of the room laughing. Elizabeth put on her bedspread and stood thinking. She didnt think she wanted to keep her socks on now! If only the younger