After prayers and breakfast were done, the girls had half an hour for putting their bedrooms to rights, during which interval it is to be hoped that Lilly found time to wash her face.
After that, lessons began, and lasted till one o'clock.
Dinner followed, with an hour's "recreation;" then the bell rang for "silent study hour," when the girls sat with their books in their bedrooms, but were not allowed to speak to each other.
Next came a walk.
"Who are you going to walk with?" asked Rose Red, meeting Clover in Quaker Row.
"I don't know. Katy, I guess."
"Are you really?
You and she like each other, don't you?
Do you know you're the first sisters I ever knew at school who did!
Generally, they quarrel awfully.
The Stearns girls, who were here last term, scarcely spoke to each other.
They didn't even room together; and Sarah Stearns was always telling tales against Sue, and Sue against Sara."
"How disgusting!
I never heard of any thing so mean," cried Clover, indignantly.
"Why, I wouldn't tell tales about Katy if we quarrelled ever so much.
We never do, though, Katy is so sweet."
"I suppose she is," said Rose, rather doubtfully; "but, do you know, I'm sort of afraid of her.
It's because she's so tall.
Tall people always scare me.
And then she looks so grave and grown up!
Don't tell her I said so, though; for I want her to like me."
"Oh, she isn't a bit grave or grown up.
She's the funniest girl in the world.
Wait till you know her," replied loyal Clover.
"I'd give any thing if I could walk with you part of this term," went on Rose, putting her arm round Clover's waist.
"But you see, unluckily, I'm engaged straight through.
All of us old girls are.
I walk with May Mather this week and next, then Esther Dearborn for a month, then Lilly Page for two weeks, and all the rest of the time with Mary.
I can't think why I promised Lilly.
I'm sure I don't want to go with her.
I'd ask Mary to let me off, only I'm afraid she'd feel bad.
I say, suppose we engage now to walk with each other for the first half of next term!"
"Why, that's not till October!" said Clover
"I know it; but it's nice to be beforehand.
Will you?"
"Of course I will; provided that Katy has somebody pleasant to go with," replied Clover, immensely flattered at being asked by the popular Rose.
Then they ran downstairs, and took their places in the long procession of girls, who were ranged two and two, ready to start.
Miss Jane walked at the head; and Miss Marsh, another teacher, brought up the rear.
Rose Red whispered that it was like a funeral and a caravan mixed,—"as cheerful as hearses at both ends, and wild beasts in the middle."
The walk was along a wooded road; a mile out and a mile back.
The procession was not permitted to stop or straggle, or take any of the liberties which make walking pleasant.
Still, Katy and Clover enjoyed it.
There was a spring smell in the air, and the woods were beginning to be pretty.
They even found a little trailing aribitus blossoming in a sunny hollow.
Lilly was just in front of them, and amused them with histories of different girls, whom she pointed out in the long line.
That was Esther Dearborn,—Rose Red's friend.
Handsome, wasn't she? but awfully sarcastic.
The two next were Amy Alsop and Ellen Gray.
They always walked together, because they were so intimate.
Yes; they were nice enough, only so distressingly good.