There were exclamations from the listening girls.
"Begorrah!" said Paddy. "But there's a way to come to school for you! Have you been in England long?"
"I only landed at Tilbury yesterday. I came over in charge of a friend of ours. She saw me safely in the train for Easthampton and has promised dad she'll keep an eye on me while I'm here."
"Poor thing," said Paddy sadly, "and won't she be feeling the loss of it now!"
"The loss of what?" Kitty's wits were not quite so sharp at that moment as they usually were.
"Her oie, to be sure."
"Stop ragging, Paddy," interrupted Eileen. Paddy, a girl with bright black eyes, a merry face and untidy dark hair, merely laughed and turned again to Kitty, who had already taken a great fancy to her.
"I don't believe we've ever had an Australian girl at Easthampton before. How old are you?"
"Sixteen—and a half."
"A little older than me. I am only just sixteen."