Chapter One CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS
　　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!'

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