Upper Fourth at Malory Towers Read Free

her—kindly, bustling, starched and competent.
    “Hallo, Darrell! Well, Alicia, turned up again like a bad penny, I see!”
    “Mother says you always used to say that to her when she came back each term,” said Alicia, with a grin.
    “Yes. She was a bad lot,” said Matron, smiling. “Not nearly as bad as you, though, Alicia. We'll have to have a talk about “How to Darn” this term, by the way. Don't forget Aha, Irene, there you are at last. Got your health certificate?”
    It was a standing joke that Irene's health certificate always got lost if Irene was given it to bring to Matron. But the last few terms Irene's mother had sent the certificate by post, so it had always arrived safely on the morning of the day that school began.
    Irene looked alarmed. Then she smiled. “You're pulling my leg, Matron,” she said. “It's come by post as usual.”
    “But it hasn't,” said Matron. “That's the whole point Plenty of post for me this morning—but no health certificate. It's probably in your night-case, Irene. Go and unpack it and look.”
    Darrell was looking round for Felicity, but still she couldn't see her. She really felt very worried and rather cross. Why hadn't Felicity done as she was told, and kept close by her, so that she couldn't lose her in the crowd of girls?
    “Matron,” she said, “you haven't by any chance seen my little sister, have you?”
    “Yes,” said Matron. “She was here a few minutes ago, and handed in her health certificate. She said you had her money. Nice to have her here, Darrell.”
    Darrell was astonished. Felicity had actually gone to Matron and given in her own certificate without waiting to be taken! It didn't seem like Felicity at all—she was so shy.
    “Where's she gone now?” she wondered out loud.
    “She's gone to have a look at her dormy,” said Matron, and turned to deal with Belinda, who seemed to have lost all her money and was turning out her pockets in despair. “Belinda! I vow and declare that I'll ask Miss Grayling to put you and Irene into another Tower next term. If I have to deal with you two much more I shall go raving mad. Sally, go and see if Irene has found her health certificate yet.”
    Sally went off to find Irene in the dormy, and Darrell went off to find Felicity. Sally found Irene sitting mournfully on her bed, the contents of her night-case strewn on the eiderdown—but there was no health certificate there.
    “Oh, Irene—you really are a mutt,” said Sally, rummaging round and shaking out the legs of Irene's pyjamas just in case she had put the precious piece of paper there. “I thought your mother always posted the certificate now.”
    “She does ,” groaned Irene. “She never fails. She's marvellous like that”
    “Well, all I can say is that she must have given it to you to post this time!” said Sally. “And you must have forgotten.”
    A sudden light spread over Irene's humorous face. She slapped Sally on the back. “Sally, you've got it!” she said. That’s just what happened! Mother did give it to me to post, and I forgot it.”
    “Well, where did you put it? Left it on your bedroom table at home, I suppose?” said Sally, half-impatient.
    “No. I didn't,” said Irene, triumphantly. “I put it into the lining of my hat, so that I shouldn't lose it on the way to the post—but when I got to the post-office, I just bought some stamps and walked home again. So the certificate should be in my hat-lining still. In fact, I'm sure it is because now I come to think of it, my hat felt jolly uncomfortable all day long.”
    It took some time to find Irene's hat, which had tolled under the next bed—but to Irene's joy the envelope with the certificate in was actually still under the lining. She shot off to Matron joyfully with it
    “I put it in my hat to remember to post it,” she explained, “but I forgot, so it came with me today still in my hat”
    Matron didn't understand a word of this, but dismissed it as all part of