The Jolliest School of All

In a top-story bedroom in an old-fashioned house in a northern suburb ofLondon, a girl of fourteen was kneeling on the floor, turning out the contents of thebottom cupboards of a big bookcase. Her method of doing so was hardly tidy; shejust tossed the miscellaneous assortment of articles down anywhere, till presentlyshe was surrounded by a mixed-up jumble of books, papers, paint-boxes, music, chalks, pencils, foreign stamps, picture post-cards, crests, balls of knitting wool, skeins of embroidery silk, and odds and ends of all kinds. She groaned as the circlegrew wider, yet the apparently inexhaustible cupboards were still uncleared."Couldn't have ever believed I'd have stowed so many things away here. And, ofcourse, the one book I want isn't to be found. That's what always happens. It's justmy bad luck. Hello! Who's calling 'Renie'? I'm here! Here! In my bedroom! Don't yellthe house down. Really, Vin, you've got a voice like a megaphone! You might think Iwas on the top of the roof. What d'you want now? I'm busy