A hurried lunch at the hotel followed, and then it was time for Dr.
Carr to go away. They all walked to the school together, and said
good-by upon the steps. The girls would not cry, but they clung very
tightly to papa, and put as much feeling into their last kisses as
would have furnished forth half a dozen fits of tears. Lilly might
have thought them cold-hearted, but papa did not; he knew better.

"That's my brave girls!" he said. Then he kissed them once more, and
hurried away. Perhaps he did not wish them to see that his eyes too
were a little misty.

As the door closed behind them, Katy and Clover realized that they
were alone among strangers. The sensation was not pleasant; and they
felt forlorn, as they went upstairs, and down Quaker Row, toward No. 6.

"Aha! so you're going to be next door," said a gay voice, as they
passed No. 5, and Rose Red popped her head into the hall. "Well,
I'm glad," she went on, shaking hands cordially; "I sort of thought
you would, and yet I didn't know; and there are some awful stiffies
among the new girls. How do you both do?"

"Oh! are we next door to you?" cried Clover, brightening.

"Yes. It's rather good of me not to hate you; for I wanted the end
room myself, and Mrs. Florence wouldn't give it to me. Come in, and
let me introduce you to my room-mate. It's against the rules, but
that's no matter: nobody pretends to keep rules the first day."

They went in. No.5 was precisely like No. 6, in shape, size and
furniture; but Rose had unpacked her trunk, and decorated the room