IT was the last week of the Christmas term, and all the girls at Gaylands School were lookingforward to the Christmas holidays. Anne sat down at the breakfast-table and picked up a letteraddressed 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 noweven the mistresses called her George. She really was very like a boy with her short curly hair, andher 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 gotscarlet 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'smother had invited George, and her dog Timothy to stay for the Christmas holidays with them. Shehad been promised many things she had never seen before - the pantomime, and the circus - and a bigparty 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. 'Theywon'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 atKirrin Cottage with me? I'm sure my mother would love to have you again. We had such fun whenyou came to stay for the summer holls,'
'Wait a minute - let me finish the letter and see what Daddy says, said Anne, picking up the noteagain. 'Poor Mummy - I do hope she isn't feeling very ill.'
She read a few more lines and then gave such a delighted exclamation1 that George and the other girlswaited 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 theholls, partly to look after us so that your mother doesn't have too much bother with us, and partlybecause both Julian and Dick have been ill with 'flu twice this term, and have got behind in theirwork.'
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'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 isthe first time I've ever been to a proper school, and there are heaps of things I don't know.'
'What horrid2 holls they'll be, if we have a tutor running after us all the time,' said Anne, gloomily. 'Iexpect I'll have quite a good report, because I've done well in the exams - but it won't be any fun forme not doing lessons with you three in the holls. Though, of course, I could go off with Timothy, Isuppose. 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 offeach 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 minuteand 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 writtento Dick and Julian - and to your father to ask him to engage a tutor for us. Oh dash - this is an awfuldisappointment, 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 forwardto 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 mongreldog, had been a great success. Except for the time when he had run after the dustman, and draggedthe dustbin away from him, all the way up the school grounds and into George's classroom, he hadreally 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?'
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'Woof,' said Tim, in his deep voice. He stood up, wagging his tail, and there was a squeal3 from theseat 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 forKirrin.
'I do wish the boys broke up today too,' sighed Anne. 'Then we could all have gone down to Kirrintogether. That would have been fun.'
Julian and Dick broke up the next day and were to join the girls then at Kirrin Cottage. Anne wasvery much looking forward to seeing them again. A term was a long time to be away from oneanother. She had been glad to have her cousin George with her. The three of them had stayed withGeorge in the summer, and had had some exciting adventures together on the little island off thecoast. An old castle stood on the island and in the dungeons4 the children had made all kinds ofwonderful discoveries.
'It will be lovely to go across to Kirrin Island again, George,' said Anne, as the train sped off towardsthe west.
'We shan't be able to,' said George. 'The sea is terribly rough round the island in the winter. It wouldbe 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 whenit snows we sometimes get frozen up completely - can't even walk to the village because the sea-windblows the snow-drifts so high.'
'Oooh - that sounds rather exciting!' said Anne.
'Well, it isn't really,' said George. 'It's awfully5 boring - nothing to do but sit at home all day, or turnout 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 theresteaming in slowly and stopping at the tiny platform. The two girls jumped out eagerly, and looked tosee 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'mso sorry about your mother, but she's getting on all right, you'll be glad to know.'
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'Oh, good!' said Anne. 'It's nice of you to have us, Aunt Fanny. We'll try and be good! What aboutUncle Quentin? Will he mind having four children in the house in the winter-time? We won't be ableto 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 withchildren, and the four of them had felt very much afraid of him at times in the summer.
'Oh, your uncle is still working very hard at his book,' said Aunt Fanny. 'You know, he has beenworking out a secret theory - a secret idea - and putting it all into his book. He says that once it is allexplained and finished, he is to take it to some high authority, and then his idea will be used for thegood 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. Comealong, now - it's cold standing6 here. 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 thecook's old slippers7 ...'
'And he chased the cat that lives in the stables every time he saw her,' said Anne.
'And he once got into the larder8 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 hermother, 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 andtheir behaviour ourselves - so if ever Timothy does anything bad I'm punished for it, because Ihaven'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 littlepony-trap along the frosty roads. 'I really think that's rather a good idea!' There was a twinkle in hereyes, as she spoke9.
I 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 be there!
'Good old Kirrin Cottage!' said Anne, as they came in sight of the pretty old house. 'Oh - look, there'sKirrin Island!' The two looked out to sea, where the old ruined castle stood on the little island ofKirrin - what adventures they had had there in the summer!
The girls went into the house. 'Quentin!' called George's mother. 'Quentin! The girls are here.'
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Uncle Quentin came out of his study at the other side of the house. Anne thought he looked taller anddarker than ever. 'And frowner!' she said to herself. Uncle Quentin might be very clever, but Annepreferred someone jolly and smiling like her own father. She shook hands with her uncle politely, andwatched 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 tutor 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 tobehave well with were usually very strict and tiresome10. Both girls were glad when George's fatherhad gone back into his study.
'Your father has been working 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 couldjoin 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 bemuch fun having Uncle Quentin to play charades11 and things like that! 'Oh, Aunt Fanny, I'm solooking 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 ratherhoping they would, because I wanted to see what would happen when she refused to answer toGeorgina! George, you liked school, didn't you?"'Yes,' said George, - I did. I thought I'd hate being with a lot of others, but it's fun, after all. ButMother, you won't find my report very good, I'm afraid. There were such a lot of things I was bad atbecause 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 getsupset. 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,' saidGeorge. 'I've had much more fun since I've known you and the boys. Hie, Timothy, where have yougone?'
'He's gone to smell all round the house to make sure it's his proper home!' said Anne, with a giggle12.
'He wants to know if the kitchen smells the same - and the bathroom - and his basket. It must be justas exciting for him to come home for the holls as it is for us!'
Anne was right. Timothy was thrilled to be back again.
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He ran round George's mother, sniffing13 at her legs in friendliness14, pleased to see her again. He raninto 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 nothaving meat and sausages and chicken disappearing under my nose if I can help it. I know what dogsare, I do!'
Timothy ran into the scullery and sniffed15 round there. He ran into the dining-room and the sitting-room16, and was pleased to find they had the same old smell. He put his nose to the door of the studywhere George's father worked, and sniffed very cautiously. He didn't mean to go in.
Timothy was just as wary17 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' bedroo
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exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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horrid
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| adj.可怕的；令人惊恐的；恐怖的；极讨厌的 | |
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3
squeal
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| v.发出长而尖的声音；n.长而尖的声音 | |
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dungeons
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| n.地牢( dungeon的名词复数 ) | |
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awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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slippers
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| n. 拖鞋 | |
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larder
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| n.食物贮藏室，食品橱 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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tiresome
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| adj.令人疲劳的，令人厌倦的 | |
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11
charades
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| n.伪装( charade的名词复数 )；猜字游戏 | |
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12
giggle
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| n.痴笑，咯咯地笑；v.咯咯地笑着说 | |
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13
sniffing
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| n.探查法v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的现在分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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friendliness
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| n.友谊，亲切，亲密 | |
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sniffed
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| v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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sitting-room
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| n.（BrE）客厅，起居室 | |
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wary
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| adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的 | |
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