"Where have you been the past two years?" Polly asked. "I'm so tickled to think you've really decided to go to Seddon Hall at last."
"I've had governesses, most of the time," Maud answered.
"But you went to a small private school too, dear," Mrs. Banks reminded her.
Maud glanced at her mother and then back to Polly.
"Not for long, though; you see I was expelled," she said, with such unexpected bluntness, that they all laughed.
"Expelled! What for?" Lois asked, without intending to be rude.
"For drawing a picture of the music professor. It wasn't a very flattering picture, so!"
"You weren't really expelled, dear," Mrs. Banks said apologetically. "The Principal just thought you might be happier somewhere else. You didn't fit in; you see it was a very small school, and—"
"All the girls were little gentlewomen," Maud interrupted, without appearing rude, "and I was too noisy." She chuckled to herself—probably at the memory of past pranks. "I didn't mean to be, but the Principal—" She stopped abruptly. She was a little embarrassed at so much undivided attention—for though she was noisy, and rather unmanageable, she had no desire to show off. For the rest of the visit, the older people did the talking.
An hour later, as the girls were packing their bags, in Polly's room—they discussed Maud. It was decided that she was to go to Seddon Hall as soon as Mrs. Banks could arrange with Mrs. Baird, and the girls were wondering just what difference her coming would make.