to start. Miss Jane walked at the head; and Miss Marsh, another
teacher, brought up the rear. Rose Red whispered that it was like
a funeral and a caravan mixed,--"as cheerful as hearses at both
ends, and wild beasts in the middle."

The walk was along a wooded road; a mile out and a mile back. The
procession was not permitted to stop or straggle, or take any of
the liberties which make walking pleasant. Still, Katy and Clover
enjoyed it. There was a spring smell in the air, and the woods were
beginning to be pretty. They even found a little trailing aribitus
blossoming in a sunny hollow. Lilly was just in front of them, and
amused them with histories of different girls, whom she pointed out
in the long line. That was Esther Dearborn,--Rose Red's friend.
Handsome, wasn't she? but awfully sarcastic. The two next were Amy
Alsop and Ellen Gray. They always walked together, because they
were so intimate. Yes; they were nice enough, only so distressingly
good. Amy did not get one single mark last term! That child with
pig-tails was Bella Arkwright. Why on earth did Katy want to know
her? She was a nasty little thing.

"She's just about Elsie's height," replied Katy. "Who's that pretty
girl with pink velvet on her hat?"

"Dear me! Do you think she's pretty? I don't. Her name is Louisa
Agnew. She lives at Ashburn,--quite near us; but we don't know them.
Her family are not at all in good society."

"What a pity! She looks sweet and lady-like."

Lilly tossed her head. "They're quite common people," she said. "They