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Chapter One CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS
It was the last week of the Christmas term, and all the girls at Gaylands School were looking forward to the Christmas holidays. Anne sat down at the breakfast-table and picked up aletter addressed to her.
'Hallo, look at this!' she said to her cousin Georgina, who was sitting beside her. 'A letter from Daddy - and I only had one from him and Mummy yesterday.'
'I hope it's not bad news,' said George, She would not allow anyone to call her Georgina, and now even the mistresses called her George. She really was very like a boy with her short curly hair, and her boyish ways. She looked anxiously at Anne as her cousin read the letter.
'Oh, George - we can't go home for the holidays!' said Anne, with tears in her eyes. 'Mummy's got scarlet fever •>- and Daddy is in quarantine for it - so they can't have us back. Isn't it just too bad ?'
'Oh, I am sorry,' said George. She was just as disappointed for herself as for Anne, because Anne's mother had invited George, and her dog Timothy^ to stay for the Christinas holidays with them. She had been promised many things she had never seen before - the pantomime, and the circus - and a big party with a fine Christmas tree! Now it wouldn't happen.
'Whatever will the two boys say?' said Anne, thinking
of Julian and Dick, her two brothers. 'They won't be able to go home either.'
'Well - what are you going to do for the holidays then?' asked George. 'Won't you come and stay at Kirriii Cottage with me? I'm sure my mother would love to have you again. We had such fun when you came to stay for the summer holls,'
'Wait a minute - let me finish the letter and see what Daddy says,3 said Anne, picking up the note again. 'Poor Mummy - I do hope she isn't feeling very ill.'
She read a few more lines and then gave such a delighted exclamation that George and the other girls waited impatiently for her to explain.
'George! We are to come to you again - but oh blow, blow, blow! - we've got to have a tutor for the holls, partly to look after us so that your mother doesn't have too much bother with us, and partly because both Julian and Dick have been ill with 'flu twice this term, and have got behind in their work.'
'A tutor! How sickening! That means I'll have to do lessons too, I'll bet!' said George, in dismay. 'When my mother and father see my report I guess they'll find out how little I know. After all, this is the first time I've ever been to a proper school, and there are heaps of things I don't know.'
'What horrid holls they'll be, if we have a tutor running after us all the time,' said Anne, gloomily. 'I expect I'll have quite a good report, because I've done well in the exams - but it won't be any fun for me not doing lessons with you three in the holls. Though, of course,
I could go off with Timothy, I suppose. He won't be doing lessons!'
'Yes, he will,' said George, at once. She could not bear the idea of her beloved dog Timothy going off each morning with Anne, whilst she, George, sat and worked hard with Julian and Dick.
'Timothy can't do lessons, don't be silly, George,' said Anne.
'He can sit under my feet whilst I'm doing them,' said George. 'It will be a great help to feel him there. For goodness' sake eat up your sausages, Anne. We've all nearly finished. The bell will go in a minute and you won't have had any breakfast.' -
'I am glad Mummy isn't very bad,' said Anne, hurriedly finishing her letter. 'Daddy says he's written to Dick and Julian - and to your father to ask him to engage a tutor for us. Oh dash - this is an awful disappointment, isn't it? I don't mean I shan't enjoy going to Kirrin Cottage again - and seeing Kirrin Island - but after all there are no pantomimes or circuses or parties to look forward to at Kirrin.'
The end of the term came quickly. Anne and George packed up their trunks, and put on the labels, enjoying the noise and excitement of the last two days. The big school coaches rolled up to the door, and the girls clambered in.
'Off to Kirrin again!' said Anne. 'Come on, Timothy darling, you can sit between me and George.'
Gaylands School allowed the children to keep their own pets, and Timothy, George's big mongrel dog, had been a great success. Except for the time when he had
run after the dustman, and dragged the dustbin away from him, all the way up the school grounds and into George's classroom, he had really behaved extremely well.
'I'm sure you'll have a good report, Tim,' said George, giving the dog a hug. 'We're going home again. Will you like that?'
'Woof,' said Tim, in his deep voice. He stood up, wagging his tail, and there was a squeal from the seat behind.
'George! Make Tim sit down. He's wagging my hat off!'
It was not very long before the two girls and Timothy were in London, being put into the train for Kirrin.
'I do wish the boys broke up today too,' sighed Anne. 'Then we could all have gone down to Kirrin together. That would have been fun.'
Julian and Dick broke up the next day and were to join the girls then at Kirrin Cottage. Anne was very much looking forward to seeing them again. A term was a long time to be away from one another. She had been glad to have her cousin George with her. The three of them had stayed with George in the summer, and had had some exciting adventuies together on the little island off the coast. An old castle stood on the island and in the dungeons the children had made all kinds of wonderful discoveries.
'It will be lovely to go across to Kirrin Island again, George,' said Anne, as the train sped off towards the west.
'We shan't be able to,' said George. 'The sea is terribly
rough round the island in the winter. It would be too dangerous to try and row there.'
'Oh, what a pity,' said Anne disappointed. 'I was looking forward to some more adventures there.'
'There won't be any adventures at Kirrin in the winter,' said George. 'It's cold down there - and when it snows we sometimes get frozen up completely - can't even walk to the village because the sea-wind blows the snow-drifts so high.'
'Oooh - that sounds rather exciting!' said Anne.
'Well, it isn't really,' said George. 'It's awfully boring -nothing to do but sit at home all day, or turn out with a spade and dig the snow away.'
It was a long time before the train reached the little station that served Kirrin. But at last it was there steaming in slowly and stopping at the tiny platform. The two girls jumped out eagerly, and looked to see if anyone had met them. Yes - there was George's mother!
'Hallo, George darling - hallo, Anne!' said George's mother, and gave both children a hug. 'Anne, I'm so sorry about your mother, but she's getting on all right, you'll be glad to know.'
'Oh, good!' said Anne. 'It's nice of you to have us, Aunt Fanny. We'll try and be good! What about Uncle Quentin? Will he mind having four children in the house in the winter-time? We won't be able to go out and leave him in peace as often as we did in the summer!'
George's father was a scientist, a very clever man, but rather frightening. He had little patience with children, and the four of them had felt very much afraid of him at times in the summer.
'Oh, your uncle is still woiking very hard at his book,' said Aunt Fanny. 'You know, he has been working out a secret theory - a secret idea - and putting it all into his book. He says that once it is all explained and finished, he is to take it to some high authority, and then his idea will be used for the good of the country.'
'Oh, Aunt Fanny - it does sound exciting,' said Anne. 'What's the secret?'
'I can't tell you that, silly child,' said her aunt, laughing. 'Why, even I myself don't know it. Come along, now - it's cold standing heie. Timothy looks very fat and well, George dear.'
'Oh Mother, he's had a marvellous time at school,' said George. 'He really has. He chewed up the cook's old slippers ...'
'And he chased the cat that lives in the stables every time he saw her,' said Anne.
'And he once got into the larder and ate a whole steak pie,' said George; 'and once...'
'Good gracious, George, I should think the school will refuse to have Timothy next term,' said her mother, in horror. 'Wasn't he well punished ? I hope he was.'
'No - he wasn't,' said George, going rather red. 'You see, Mother, we are responsible for our pets and their behaviour ourselves - so if ever Timothy does anything bad I'm punished for it, because I haven't shut him up properly, or something like that.'
'Well, you must have had quite a lot of punishments then,' said her mother, as she drove the little pony-trap along the frosty roads. 'I really think that's rather a good idea!' There was a twinkle in her eyes, as she spoke. T
Christmas holidays 13
think I'll keep on with the same idea - punish you every time Timothy misbehaves himself!'
The girls laughed. They felt happy and excited. Holidays were fun. Going back to Kirrin was lovely. Tomorrow the boys would come - and then Christmas would betheie!
'Good old Kirrin Cottage!' said Anne, as they came in sight of the pretty old house. 'Oh - look, there's Kirrin Island!' The two looked out to sea, where the old ruined castle stood on the little island of Kirrin - what adventures they had had there in the summer!
The girls went into the house. 'Quentin!' called Geoige's mother. 'Quentin! The girls are here.'
Uncle Quentin came out of his study at the other side of the house. Anne thought he looked taller and darker than ever. 'And frowmer!' she said to herself. Uncle Quentin might be very clever, but Anne preferred someone jolly and smiling like her own father. She shook hands with her uncle politely, and watched George kiss him.
'Well!' said Uncle Quentin to Anne. 'I hear I've got to get a tutor for you! At least, for the two boys. My word, you will have to behave yourself with a tutor3 I can tell you!'
This was meant to be a joke, but it didn't sound very nice to Anne and George. People you had to behave well with were usually very strict and tiresome. Both girls were glad when George's father had gone back into his study.
'Your father has been woiking far too hard lately,' said George's mother to her. 'He is tired out. Thank goodness his book is nearly finished. He had hoped to
finish it by Christmas so that he could join in the fun and games - but now he says he can't.'
'What a pity,' said Anne, politely, though secretly she thought it was a good thing. It wouldn't be much fun having Uncle Quentin to play charades and things like that! 'Oh, Aunt Fanny, I'm so looking forward to seeing Julian and Dick - and won't they be pleased to see Tim and George ? Aunt Fanny, nobody calls George Georgina at school, not even our Form mistress. I was rather hoping they would, because I wanted to see what would happen when she refused to answer to Georgina! George, you liked school, didn't you .•"
'Yes,' said George, -1! did. I thought I'd hate being with a lot of others, but it's fun, after all. But Mother, you won't find my report very good, I'm afraid. There were such a lot of things I was bad at because I'd never done them before.'
'Well, you'd never been to school before!' said her mother. I'll explain it to your father if he gets upset. Now go along and get ready for a late tea. You must be very hungry.'
The girls went upstairs to their little room. 'I'm glad I'm not spending my holls by myself,' said George. 'I've had much more fun since I've known you and the boys. Hie, Timothy, where have you gone ?'
'He's gone to smell all round the house to make sure it's his proper home!'said Anne, with a giggle. 'He wants to know if the kitchen smells the same - and the bathroom - and his basket. It must be just as exciting for him to come home for the holls as it is for us!'
Anne was right. Timothy was thrilled to be back again.
He ran round George's mother, sniffing at her legs in friendliness, pleased to see her again. He ran into the kitchen but soon came out again because someone new was there - Joanna the cook - a fat, panting person who eyed him with suspicion.
'You can come into this kitchen once a day for your dinner,' said Joanna. 'And that's all. I'm not having meat and sausages and chicken disappearing under my nose if I can help it. I know what dogs are, I do!'
Timothy ran into the scullery and sniffed round there. He ran into the dining-room and the sitting-room, and was pleased to find they had the same old smell. He put his nose to the door of the study where George's father worked, and sniffed very cautiously. He didn't mean to go in. Timothy was just as wary of George's father as the others were!
He ran upstairs to the girls' bedroom again. Where was his basket? Ah, there it was by the window-seat. Good! That meant he was to sleep in the girls' bedroom once more. He curled himself up in his basket, and thumped loudly with his tail.
'Glad to be back,' said his tail, 'glad - to - be - back!'
Chapter Two
ALL TOGETHER AGAIN
THE next day the boys came back. Anne and George went to meet them with Timothy. George drove the pony-trap, and Tim sat beside her. Anne could hardly wait for the train to stop at the station. She ran along the platform, looking for Julian and Dick in the carriages that passed.
Then she saw them. They were looking out of a window at the back of the train, waving and yelling.
'Anne! Anne! Here we are! Hallo, George! Oh, there's Timothy!'
'Julian! Dick!' yelled Anne. Timothy began to bark and leap about. It was most exciting.
'Oh, Julian! It's lovely to see you both again!' cried Anne, giving her two brothers a hug each. Timothy leapt up and licked them both. He was beside himself with joy. Now he had all the children around him that he loved.
The three children and the dog stood happily together, all talking at once whilst the porter got the luggage out of the train. Anne suddenly remembered George. She looked round her. She was nowhere to be seen, although she had come on the station platform with Anne.
'Where's old George?' said Julian. 'I saw her here when I waved out of the window.'
'She must have gone back to the pony-trap,' said Anne. 'Tell the porter to bring your trunks out to the trap, Julian. Come along! We'll go and find George.'
George was standing by the pony, holding his head. She looked rather gloomy, Anne thought. The boys went up to her.
'Hallo, George, old thing!' cried Julian, and gave her a hug. Dick did the same.
'What's up?' asked Anne, wondering at George's sudden silence.
'I believe George felt left-cut!' said Julian with a grin. 'Funny old Georgina!'
'Don't call me Georgina!' said the little girl fiercely. The boys laughed.
'Ah, it's the same fierce old George, all right,' said Dick, and he gave the girl a friendly slap on the shoulder. 'Oh, George - it's good to see you again. Do you remember our marvellous adventures in the summer?'
George felt her awkwardness slipping away from her. She had felt left-out when she had seen the great welcome that the two boys gave to their small sister —' but no one could sulk for long with Julian and Dick. They just wouldn't let anyone feel left-out or awkward or sulky.
The four children climbed into the trap. The porter heaved in the two trunks. There was only just room for them. Timothy sat on top of the trunks, his tail wagging nineteen to the dozen, and his tongue hanging out because he was panting with delight.
'You two girls were lucky to be able to take Tim to school with you,' said Dick, patting the big dog lovingly.
'No pets are allowed at our school. Awfully hard on those fellows who like live things.'
'Thompson Minor kept white mice,' said Julian. 'And one day they escaped and met Matron round a corner of the passage. She squealed the place down.'
The girls laughed. The boys always had funny tales to tell when they got home.
'And Kennedy keeps snails,' said Dick. 'You know, snails sleep for the winter - but Kennedy kept his in far too warm a place, and they all crawled out of their box and went up the walls. You should have heard how we laughed when the geography master asked Thompson to point out Cape Town on the map - and there was one of the snails in the very place!'
Everyone laughed again. It was so good to be all together once more. They were very much of an age -Julian was twelve, George and Dick were eleven, and Anne was ten. Holidays and Christmas time were in front of them. No wonder they laughed at everything, even the silliest little joke!
'It's good that Mummy is getting on all right, isn't it?' said Dick, as the pony went along the road at a spanking trot. T was disappointed not to go home, I must say -1 did want to go to see Aladdin and the Lamp, and the Circus - but still, it's good to be back at Kirrin Cottage again. I wish we could have some more exciting adventures. Not a hope of that this time, though.'
'There's one snag about these holls,' said Julian. 'And that's the tutor. I hear we've got to have one because Dick and I missed so much school this term, and we've got to take scholarship exams next summer.'
'Yes,' said Anne. 'I wonder what he'll be like. I do hope he will be a sport. Uncle Quentin is going to choose one today.'
Julian and Dick made faces at one another. They felt sure that any tutor chosen by Uncle Quentin would be anything but a sport. Uncle Quentin's idea of a tutor would be somebody strict and gloomy and forbidding.
Never mind! He wouldn't come for a day or two. And he might be fun. The boys cheered up and pulled Timothy's thick coat. The dog pretended to growl and bite. He wasn't worried about tutors. Lucky Timothy!
They all arrived at Kirrin Cottage. The boys were really pleased to see their aunt, and rather relieved when she said that their uncle had not yet come back.
'He's gone to see two or three men who have answered the advertisement for a tutor,' she said. 'He won't be long before he's back.'
'Mother, I haven't got to do lessons in the holls too, have I?' asked George. Nothing had yet been said to her about this, and she longed to know.
'Oh yes, George,' said her mother. 'Your father has seen your report, and although it isn't really a bad one, and we certainly didn't expect a marvellous one, still it does show that you are behind your age in some things. A little extra coaching will soon help you along.'
George looked gloomy. She had expected this but it was tiresome all the same. 'Anne's the only one who won't have to do lessons,' she said.
Til do some too,' promised Anne. 'Perhaps not always, George, if it's a very fine day, for instance - but sometimes, just to keep you company.'
'Thanks,' said George. 'But you needn't. I shall have Timmy.'
George's mother looked doubtful about this. 'We'll have to see what the tutor says about that,3 she said.
'Mother! If the tutor says I can't have Timothy in the room, I jolly well won't do holiday lessons!3 began George, fiercely.
Her mother laughed. 'Well, well - here's our fierce, hot-tempered George again!3 she said. 'Go along, you two boys, and wash your hands and do your hair. You seem to have collected all the smuts on the railway.'
The children and Timothy went upstairs. It was such fun to be five again. They always counted Tim as one of themselves. He went everywhere with them, and really seemed to understand every single word they said.
'I wonder what sort of a tutor Uncle Quentin will choose,' said Dick, as he scrubbed his nails. 'If only he would choose the right kind - someone jolly and full of fun, who knows that holiday lessons are sickening to have, and tries to make up for them by being a sport out of lesson-time. I suppose we'll have to work every morning.'
'Hurry up. I want my tea,' said Julian. 'Come on down, Dick. We'll know about the tutor soon enough P
They all went down together, and sat round the table. Joanna the cook had made a lovely lot of buns and a great big cake. There was not much left of either by the " time the four children had finished!
Uncle Quentin returned just as they were finishing. He seemed rather pleased with himself. He shook hands
with the two boys and asked them if they had had a good term.
'Did you get a tutor, Uncle Quentin?' asked Anne, who could see that everyone was simply bursting to know this.
'Ah - yes, I did,' said her uncle. He sat down, whilst Aunt Fanny poured him out a cup of tea. 'I interviewed three applicants, and had almost chosen the last one, when another fellow came in, all in a hurry. Said he had only just seen the advertisement, and hoped he wasn't too late.'
'Did you choose him ?' asked Dick.
'I did,' said his uncle. 'He seemed a most intelligent fellow. Even knew about me and my work! And he had the most wonderful letters of recommendation.'
'I don't think the children need to know all these details,' murmured Aunt Fanny. 'Anyway - you asked him to come?'
'Oh yes,' said Uncle Quentin. 'He's a good bit older than the others - they were rather young fellows - this one seems very responsible and intelligent. I'm sure you'll like him, Fanny. He'll fit in here very well. I feel I would like to have him to talk to me sometimes in the evening.'
The children couldn't help feeling that the new tutor sounded rather alarming. Their uncle smiled at the gloomy faces.
'You'll like Mr. Roland,' he said. 'He knows how to handle youngsters - knows he's got to be very firm, and to see that you know a good bit more at the end of the holidays than you did at the beginning.'
This sounded even more alarming. All four children
wished heartily that Aunt Fanny had been to choose the tutor, and not Uncle Quentin.
'When is he coming ?' asked George.
'Tomorrow,' said her father. 'You can all go to meet him at the station. That will be a nice welcome for him.'
'We had thought of taking the bus and going to do a bit of Christmas shopping,' said Julian, seeing Anne looked very disappointed.
'Oh, no, you must certainly go and meet Mr. Roland,' said his uncle. 'I told him you would. And mind you, you four - no nonsense with him! You've to do as you're told, and you must work hard with him, because your father is paying very high fees for his coaching. I'm paying a third, because I want him to coach George a little too - so George, you must do your best.'
'I'll try,' said George. 'If he's nice, I'll do my very best.'
'You'll do your best whether you think him nice or not!' said her father, frowning. 'He will arrive by the ten-thirty train. Be sure to be there in time.'
'I do hope he won't be too strict,5 said Dick, that evening, when the five of them were alone for a minute or two. 'It's going to spoil the holls, if we have someone down on us all the time. And I do hope he'll like Timothy.3
George looked up at once. 'Like Timothy!' she said. 'Of couise he'll like Timothy! How couldn't he ?3
'Well - your father didn't like Timothy very much last summer,3 said Dick. T don't see how anyone could dislike darling Tim - but there are people who don't like dogs, you know, George.'
'If Mr. Roland doesn't like Timothy, I'll not do a single thing for him,' said George. 'Not one single thing!'
'She's gone all fierce again!' said Dick, with a laugh. 'My word - the sparks will fly if Mr. Roland dares to dislike our Timothy!'
Chapter Three
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