From the eldest to the next youngest girl in the school Curly Pate was the darling. Anyone would be proud to walk with her, to caress her, to submit to her whims; and Curly Pate, like all young queens, was exacting. She had her preferences. She liked Constance Amberley better than any of her own small companions. When Constance walked about the grounds with Curly Pate on her back--that young person pretending that she was riding her pony and desiring her "Gee-gee" to go faster, and pounding her on the head and shoulders in no inconsiderable degree-- Constance, far from being pitied, was envied by everyone else in the school. But lo, and behold! when Robina appeared, that fickle young person--the school baby--changed her tactics. She walked straight up to Robina on the first day of her appearance in the playground and said: "I 'ike oo--new dirl!" and established herself on the spot, Robina's ruler. Robina was elected to be the baby's slave, and the others laughed and joked at Constance, and watched the baby with delight. The other little girls followed suit, as very small girls will. On this special afternoon Robina had the four small children in a circle round her. Curly Pate, it is true, occupied the place of honour on the young lady's lap, but Patty and Cissie Price, and grave, pale little Annie were also close to the popular favourite. "Tell us a story, Robina," asked Cissie Price. "Not now," said Robina; "and you are not to pull me, babies, for it makes me too hot. Curly, sit still, you little imp! I'll put you off my knee if you don't behave." Now none of the other girls in the third form would have dared to speak to Curly in that tone. They would have received a slap in the face for their pains, but Curly took it quite meekly from Robina. "I--is--dood. I is--vedy dood. I 'ove oo," she said. She nestled up close to Robina, pulling that young person's hand round her waist, and patting the said hand with her own two fat little ones and saying, over and over again: "I 'ove oo, Wobbin--I 'ove oo!" It was on this scene that Harriet and Jane appeared. Since Robina had come, Harriet had rather avoided her. She had been jealous, poor child, from the first moment; but now she altered her tactics, and forcing her way through the group, sat down close to the new favourite. "There's no room here," said Robina. "Go a little further off, please, Harriet; you are pushing little Annie and making her cry." "I don't care twopence for little Annie!" cried Harriet, rudely. "I have as good a right to sit here as anybody else. Don't press me, Annie; if I am in the way, you're the person to make room, not me. Go back to your nursery, won't you?" Annie, who was a very timid child, began to cry. Robina immediately rose, lifted Curly Pate on to her shoulder, and said to the three other little ones: