With these confused words on her lips she began to get ready for bed.
III
THE RESCUE
Brenda started for school a little later than usual the morning after Julia's arrival. As she walked up Beacon Street she saw Edith and Nora ahead of her, half-way up the slope on the sidewalk next the Common.
"Oh, dear, they might look back," she said to herself. But they neither looked back nor paused on their way, and Brenda was prevented from hurrying by a line of wagons and street cars which blocked Charles Street. She was kept standing for two or three minutes at the street crossing, and when she continued her way Edith and Nora had turned into the side street leading to the school. When Brenda reached the school door, Belle was the centre of a group of girls seated on the steps.
"Why didn't you call for me, Belle?" cried Brenda petulantly.
"Oh, I had to do some errands on the way, and I thought, too, that you would stay home with your cousin."
"Well! I should say not. I shall see enough of her."
"Tell us about her, Brenda," cried Nora who came out from the house for a moment. "Belle says she has come. What is she like?"