02 Jo of the Chalet School Read Online Free Page A

were able to undress her and put her to bed all without waking her, and the upcurling lashes never even fluttered. They lighted the night-light to which she was accustomed – for it was growing dark by this time –then they crept out of the room and ran downstairs to join the others.
    The Robin had arrived!

Chapter 3
the chalet school grows

    The whole of the next day was devoted by the children to the Robin, with whom they all fell in love at once. She was a dear little girl, very happy and sunshiny, as her father had said, and not at all shy. The very first morning of her coming, when she awoke, she sat up in bed, looking curiously round a the little curtained-off cubicle with its dainty yellow curtains and pretty touches, and said, ‘But where am I?’ in the prettiest French.
    Joey, who had been lying reading, tumbled out of bed and trotted in to her. ‘Hullo, Robin!’ she said ‘Can you speak English?’
    ‘A ver’ leetle,’ replied the Robin. Then she went back to her French. ‘Who are you? Where am I? And where is papa?’ she asked.
    ‘I am Joey Bettany, replied the owner of the name. ‘You are in Briesau, at the Chalet School; but I don’t know where your father is.’
    ‘Joey?’ The baby made a valiant effort at pronouncing the word, but it failed, and came out something like
    ‘Zhoey.’ ‘It is a droll name!’
    ‘Joey!’ called Juliet that moment from her cubicle, ‘where’s you’re dressing-gown? And what about your slippers? Go back to your cubey and put them on at once.’
    ‘Oh, bother,’ grumbled Joey as she went reluctantly back to her cubicle. ‘It’s quite warm this morning, Juliet.’
    ‘Can’t help that,’ said Juliet austerely. ‘The rule is that you don’t paddle about in ‘jamas and bare feet, and you’ve got to keep it.’
    Joey grunted, but did as she was told, and presently appeared at the Robin’s bedside in a yellow dressing-gown and black moccasins. Her hair was all in confusion, which gave her a surprised air, and she was quite unlike anyone the Robin had ever seen.
    Grizel, in her dressing-gown, appeared from the other side. ‘Hullo,’ she said. ‘I’m Grizel – Grizel Cochrane.’
    ‘Grizelle,’ repeated the Robin. – They found that it was a trick of hers to repeat the names of people she met for the first time. – ‘Zat is easy to say. And ze ozzer demoiselle; what does she call herself?’
    ‘Her name’s Juliet,’ replied Joey in French. ‘You’ll have to buck up and learn to speak English, you know.’
    ‘I understand him verree well,’ replied the Robin with dignity. ‘It is but zat I do not speak him well. At home, wiz mamma, we speak ze French. Mamma has gone a long way,’ she went on, dropping into the more familiar language, ‘and papa is going a long way too, and I cannot go with him, so I must stay with you. Who will give me my bath and dress me and brush my hair?’
    ‘I will,’ responded Juliet, who had just come out of her cubicle and into the one where the Robin was holding her little court. ‘Will you get up now, Robin, please? It is time we began to get up. – Joey and Grizel, you must hurry up, or you will be late as usual.’
    ‘You’re generally so punctual yourself, aren’t you?’ jeered Joey as she vanished, an example followed by Grizel.

    The Robin turned her great dark eyes on the tall girl with the long fair hair, who was standing smiling down at her. ‘Are you Juliet?’ she asked.
    A wild shriek of ‘Bags me first bath!’ prevented Juliet form answering for a moment, and then there was a scutter of feet as Joey shot down the dormitory at top speed. When she had gone, banging the door after her, the head of the dormitory turned back to the lovely mite sitting up in the little wooden bed. ‘Yes, I’m Juliet.
    Will you get up now?’
    The Robin clambered out of bed, and dropped on to the floor with a bump. ‘I can’t bath myself,’ she informed the older girl.
    ‘Never mind.’ Juliet’s French