On a certain morning, just a week before Christmas, the little world of school at Chilcombe Hall wasawake and stirring at an unusually early hour. Long before the slightest hint of dawn showed in thesky the lamps were lighted in the corridors, maids were scuttling about, bringing in breakfast, andJones, the gardener, assisted by his eldest boy, a sturdy grinning urchin of twelve, was beginning theprocess of carrying down piles of hand-bags and hold-alls, and stacking them on a cart which waswaiting in the drive outside.Miss Walters, dreading the Christmas rush on the railway, had determined to take time by theforelock, and meant to pack off her pupils by the first available trains, trusting they would most ofthem reach their destinations before the overcrowding became a serious problem in the traffic. Thepupils themselves offered no objections to this early start. The sooner they reached home and beganthe holidays, so much the better from their point of view. It was fun to get up by lamp-light, whenthe stars were still shining in the sky; fun to find that rules were relaxed, and for once they mightchatter and talk as they pleased; fun to run unreproved along the passages, sing on the stairs, andtwirl one another round in an impromptu dance in the hall.The particular occupants of the Blue Bedroom had been astir even before the big bell clanged forrising, so they stole a march over rival dormitories, performed their toilets, packed their hand-bags, strapped their wraps, and proceeded downstairs to the dining-hall, where cups and plates were justbeing laid upon the breakfast-table. It was quite superfluous energy on the part of Lilias, Dulcie, Gowan, and Bertha, for as a matter of fact not one of them was on the list of earliest departures, butthe excitement of the general exodus had awakened them as absolutely as the advent of Santa Clauson Christmas mornings. They stood round the newly-lighted fire, warming their hands, chatting, andhailing fresh arrivals who hurried into the hall."You going by the 6.30, Edith? You lucker! My train doesn't start till ten! I begged and imploredMiss Walters to let me leave by the early one, and wait at the junction, but she would not hear of it, so I've got to stop here kicking my heels, and watch you others whisked away. Isn't it a grislyshame?"Gowan's round rosy face was drawn into a decided pout, and her blue eyes were full of self-pity. Shehad to be sorry for her own grievance, because nobody else had either time or much inclination tosympathize; they were all far too much excited about their own concerns."Well, you'll get off sometime, I suppose," returned Edith airily. "There are twelve of us, all goingtogether as far as Colminster. We mean to cram into one carriage if we can. Don't suppose the trainwill be full, as it's so early. I thought you were coming with us, Bertha, but Miss Hardy says you'renot!""Dad changed his mind at the last minute, and promised to send the car to fetch me.