Amy did not get one single mark last term!
That child with pig-tails was Bella Arkwright.
Why on earth did Katy want to know her?
She was a nasty little thing.
"She's just about Elsie's height," replied Katy.
"Who's that pretty girl with pink velvet on her hat?"
"Dear me!
Do you think she's pretty?
I don't.
Her name is Louisa Agnew.
She lives at Ashburn,—quite near us; but we don't know them.
Her family are not at all in good society."
"What a pity!
She looks sweet and lady-like."
Lilly tossed her head.
"They're quite common people," she said.
"They live in a little mite of a house, and her father paints portraits."
"But I should think that would be nice.
Doesn't she ever take you to see his pictures?"
"Take me!" cried Lilly, indignantly.
"I should think not.
I tell you we don't visit.
I just speak when we're here, but I never see her when I'm at home."
"Move on, young ladies.
What are you stopping for?" cried Miss Jane.
"Yes; move on," muttered Rose Red, from behind.
"Don't you hear Policeman X?"
From walking-hour till tea-time was "recreation" again.
Lilly improved this opportunity to call at No. 6.
She had waited to see how the girls were likely to take in the school before committing herself to intimacy; but, now that Rose Red had declared in their favor, she was ready to begin to be friendly.
"How lovely!" she said, looking about.
"You got the end room, after all, didn't you?
What splendid times you'll have!
Oh, how plainly you can see Berry Searles's window!
Has he spoken to you yet?"
"Spoken to us,—of course not!
Why should he?" replied Katy: "he doesn't know us, and we don't know him."
"That's nothing: half the girls in the school bow, and speak, and carry on with young men they don't know.
You won't have a bit of fun if you're so particular."
"I don't want that kind of fun," replied Katy, with energy in her voice; "neither does Clover.
And I can't imagine how the girls can behave so.
It isn't lady-like at all."
Katy was very fond of this word, lady-like.
She always laid great stress upon it.
It seemed in some way to be connected with Cousin Helen, and to mean every thing that was good, and graceful, and sweet.
"Dear me!
I'd no idea you were so dreadfully proper," said Lilly, pouting.
"Mother said you were as prim and precise as your grandmother; but I didn't suppose"—
"How unkind!" broke in Clover, taking fire, as usual, at any affront to Katy.
"Katy prim and precise!