“There’s bound to be a lot of red tape,” she heard her grandfather say, “but I’ll get in touch with the consul—I know him personally—and no doubt he will be able to hurry it up.”
“All right. I’ll meet you at the hotel,” replied Cousin Ned, and hurried off.
In a few minutes Joanne and her grandparents were seated in a taxicab and a little later found themselves in a hotel from which they departed on the second day following.
Then came days which were exciting enough for Joanne; the selecting of a new home, the prospect of school life, the anticipation of spending week ends and holidays on Cousin Ned’s farm, all these were too much for Joanne who, at the end of a week, went to bed with a headache and was treated as an invalid for several days longer.
But she emerged from this durance vile the better for the rest, and one Monday morning entered school with high hopes if with palpitating heart and nervous tremors. However, at the end of another week she had found congenial companions, had chosen one special friend, had made up her mind that she must become a Girl Scout whether or no, and was already working at her Tenderfoot tests.
CHAPTER III
HARD AT IT
THE girl whom Joanne settled upon as the one she would like for her best friend was Winnie Merryman. Joanne observed her across the big schoolroom that first morning. She was the exact opposite of the dark-haired, dark-eyed, pale-faced Joanne, being rosy and fair-haired, with big turquoise blue eyes and lips which smiled a friendly greeting to Joanne as, a little scared, the latter took the seat assigned her and glanced around the room.
At recess Joanne, too proud, and still too scared, to make advances, stood off with head up and a don’t care look on her face. Winnie at once made her way over to the new pupil. “I don’t believe you know any of the girls, do you?” she said.
Joanne shook her head. “No, I don’t know a single one.”
“Then come and eat lunch with me. I am Winifred Merryman. I can tell you about the other girls and you can meet some of them so you won’t feel that you are among entire strangers.”