In "Nan Sherwood at Lakeview Hall; Or, the Mystery of the Haunted
Boathouse," the two friends are first introduced to boarding-school
life, and to this very merry, if somewhat thoughtless, company of
girls that have already been brought to the attention of the reader
in our present volume.

They were for the most part nice girls and, at heart, kindly
intentioned; but Nan had gone through some harsh experiences, as
well as exciting times, during the fall and winter semester at
Lakeview Hall. She had made friends, as she always did; and the
Masons, Grace and Walter, determined to have her with them in
Chicago over the holidays. Therefore, in the third volume of the
series, "Nan Sherwood's Winter Holidays; Or, Rescuing the
Runaways," we find Nan and her chum with their friends in the great
city of the Lakes.

During those two weeks of absence from school Nan certainly had
experienced some exciting times. Included in her adventures were
her experiences in rescuing two foolish country girls who had run
away to be motion picture actresses. In addition Nan Sherwood had
saved little Inez, a street child, and had taken her back to "the
little dwelling in amity," as Papa Sherwood called their Tillbury
home. For Nan's parents had returned from across the seas, and she
was beginning this second semester at Lakeview Hall in a much
happier state of mind in every way than she had begun the first
one.

It was only to be expected that Nan would try to make the coming of
the girl in brown, Rhoda Hammond, more pleasant than her own first
appearance at school had been.