CHAPTER IV.

A BRIGHTON BOARDING SCHOOL.

THE twins had been three days at the Brighton boarding school. Their mother had started for Australia, and the children felt as if the world into which they had just been introduced was quite as strange as any distant land could be to them.

They clung together, as usual; and at first only curious glances from the fifteen other girls—some older, some younger than themselves, annoyed them; but then one, Flora Manners, tried to make them less shy, and to get them to play with three others who were their own age.

"Where has your mother gone?" asked Kate Brown.

"To Australia," said the twins, shyly.

"Do you always talk together?" asked saucy Nelly Parker.

"No!" said the twins, and then they all laughed. "What's she gone for?" queried Louie Lester, the most inquisitive child in the school.

"For shame, Louie!" said Flora, who was fifteen, "what does that matter to you?"

Daisy and Lily were very grateful to their champion, for they did not think it right to tell all about their mother.

The big school-room was given up to the girls, this half-holiday. Certainly Fraulein Müller, the german governess, sat in one corner of it, but she was reading and not attending much to the chatter-indeed, perhaps she was trying not to hear it, for the week's work had tired her. Presently a tall, showily dressed girl came in with a message for Flora, which she gave condescendingly; and then after a sweeping glance at the groups of girls, she walked out again.

"That's the parlour boarder-isn't she grand?" said Kate to Daisy, who nodded, and said

"Very."

"And she comes from Australia, and her father is fearfully rich, and her name's Clara Cogan," further announced Louie.

The twins couldn't help starting a little at the name, and Nelly asked what was the matter?

"Nothing-indeed it's nothing!" said Lily, and Daisy, remembering how the girls had laughed just a little while before, refrained from speaking at the same time. Then Louie went on

"Madam (that's what we call Mrs Norris) makes so much of her! it is 'dearest Clara' 'darling Clara' about everything-just because she is rich."

Flora again drew near, and said :

"Louie, you should not speak like that! Daisy and Lily don't know Mrs Norris yet, and you will make

them think badly of her. We are all going for a walk on the cliff this afternoon," she added, and the other girls seemed pleased. Their usual exercise was away from the sea, but to-day, Mademoiselle, the French governess, had to call at one of the great libraries on the King's Road, and so the long file of big and little girls would see all the gay people who paraded that part of Brighton every afternoon.

The twins could not help being delighted with the sparkling beauty of everything about them, although their hearts were still sore with the recent parting from their mother; but if any of my young readers have seen Brighton on a sunny September day, they will remember with pleasure the gay cheerfulness of the famous King's Road-where the dazzling white houses, with their green verandahs, front a sea that dances and sparkles in the sun, and where a long and seemingly endless double file of carriages and flys pace up and down beside the crowds of gay and lively foot passengers. It was quite a stirring scene to Daisy and Lily, for it was unlike London and far removed from any resemblance to the quiet country village where they had stayed with Aunt Mary.

Twice a week the girls who desired it were allowed to bathe, and as the sea was still very warm the two new pupils were allowed to join the bathing party one morning.

"I'm sure we shall like it, aren't you?" said Daisy, who really needed reassuring.

"It looks very bright, and those girls seem to enjoy

it!" responded Lily peering down between two bathing machines at a laughing group who were dancing in a ring, and splashing each other furiously.

Three machines were engaged for the nine girls who bathed, and Miss Walker, the English governess, walked busily about arranging for bathing gowns with the fat old woman who was so brown and weatherbeaten she looked like a man!

66

Here, Nelly, you go with the two new girls— number five machine!" and so the three children ran up the little ladder, and shut themselves up, laughing, in the small space. Then the machine was moved out a bit, and they all tumbled about wildly. When it stopped, Daisy peeped through the little tiny window, and called out

"Oh! it's water all round us!"

"Make haste and undress," said Nelly, "or we shall have no time in the sea, for Miss Walker only allows half an hour for everything."

They tumbled off their clothes in a great hurry then, and again Nelly's advice was useful.

"Hang up your things! if you leave them in a heap, they'll get wet through when we come in dripping salt water all over the floor."

What funny bathing gowns! Daisy couldn't speak for laughing when she saw Lily in a long blue serge quite big enough to have fitted the bathing woman.

Then the door was opened, and the great rush of water sounded alarming, and the vast expanse that sparkled before them seemed terrible to venture upon.

The twins clung together, and Nelly boldly walked down the ladder. Then came the bathing woman

"Come along, little dears! a lovely mornin;' 'ere's a rope for your waists to make all safe-now go on, ducky-it's beautiful."

Ugh! wasn't it cold! and how hard the shingle was, and what little creeping steps the twins took. "Come on, and take a dip! you'll be warm then!" called Nellie, who was shining all over like a seal.

"Oh! o-o-o-h! I can't, Lily-I can't! but further remonstrance was lost, for Lily took a dip, and the bathing woman seized Daisy's other arm and ducked her under. She emerged, sputtering, blinded, and breathless, and turned wildly to get to the machine. The old woman untied her rope, and telling her she'd enjoy it more next time, left her for another timid customer. Up the first ladder she came to ran Daisy, and fastened the door. Then, with a glow all over her body, she dropped the bathing gown heavy with