5 Sorting Themselves Out.
The first week went slowly by. It always did go slowly, and then after that the weeks went faster andfaster. All the girls had now settled in well, and were enjoying themselves.
The weather kept fine and warm and there was still bathing to be had for those who wanted it Thetennis courts were still in use too, although the winter game of lacrosse was now being played. Sothere was plenty to do in spare time.
Gwendoline and Daphne had become firm friends. Gwendoline had not had a proper friend duringthe four terms she had been at Malory Towers and she was thrilled to have Daphne. She admired thegirl's prettiness and her charming ways, and loved to hear the stories of her wealthy home.
The two girls had much in common. Neither of them liked the water and nothing would persuadethem to take a dip in the Pool.
"We have to do enough of that each summer." objected Gwendoline, one hot day, when her formtried to get her to come along and bathe, "We don't have to swim this term, so Fm jolly well notgoing to. Anyway, you don't really want me to come—all you want me for is to creep behind me andpush me in!”
"No—we want Belinda to see you shivering in your bathing suit, putting one toe gingerly into thewater!” said Alicia. "It would make such a comical picture for our classroom wall. Gwendoline!“"Beast!” said Gwendoline, who hated to be made fun of. She walked off with Daphne. "Just becausethey live, violent things like swimming and tennis and rough games, they think everyone ought to,"she said to Daphne. "After alt you and I have never been to school before we came here, and wellnever get used to all their stupid ideas. I wish I had been born French. Then I shouldn't have had toswim if I didn't want to. or tire myself out trying to hit a silly ball over a net""We have three courts at home." said Daphne. Two are hard and one is soft. You see. Mother is amarvellous hostess, and she likes to give tennis parties as well as other kinds. But, of course, the onespeople really love are the ones she gives on board Daddy's yacht.”
Gwendoline hadn't heard about the yacht before. She gazed enviously¹ at her friend. Perhaps Daphnewould invite her to stay one summer holiday and then she too could go on this wonderful yacht. Howpleased her mother would be to know she had made such a fine friend at last!
"You must have hated coming away to school. Daphne," she said. "Leaving all your luxury, andhaving to pig it here. I don't expect you ever made your bed in your life before you came here.""Of course I didn't," said Daphne, shaking back her pretty hair. "And I bet you didn't either!”
"No. I didn't," said Gwendoline. "My governess Miss Winter always did things like that for me. Shestill does in the holidays. She's a stupid old thing but she's useful in those ways. She wasn't muchgood at teaching me, though, I was

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