Upper Fourth at Malory Towers Read Free Page B

basins.
    Irene was splashing in one basin, removing the dust of the journey. She always arrived dirtier than anyone else.
    No one would ever guess that the scatterbrain was a perfect genius at music and maths, and quite good at her other lessons too! Everyone liked Irene, and everyone laughed at her.
    She was humming a tune now as she washed. “Tumty-tooty-tumpty-tooty, ta, ta, ta!”
    “Oh, Irene—don't say we're going to have that tune for weeks,” groaned Gwendoline, who always complained that Irene's continual humming and singing got on her nerves.
    Irene took no notice at all, which maddened Gwendoline, who loved to be in the limelight if she possibly could.
    “Irene” she began, but at that moment the door opened and in came two new girls, ushered by Matron.
    “Girls—here are the Batten twins,” she said in her genial voice. “Connie—and Ruth. They are fourth-formers and will be in this dormy. Look after them, Sally and Darrell, will you?”
    The girls stood up to look at the twins. Their first thought was—how unlike for twins!
    Connie was bigger, fatter, sturdier and bolder-looking than Ruth, who was a good deal smaller, and rather shy-looking. Connie smiled broadly and nodded to everyone. Ruth hardly raised her head to look round, and as soon as she could she stood a little way behind her sister.
    “Hallo, twins!” said Alicia. “Welcome to the best dormy in the school! Those must be your beds up there—the two empty ones together.”
    “Got your night-cases?” said Darrell. “Good. Well, if you'd like to unpack them now, you can. Supper will be ready soon. The bell will go any minute.”
    “Hope it's good,” said Connie, with a comradely grin. “I'm frightfully hungry. It's ages since we had tea.”
    “Yes—we get a wizard supper the first evening,” said Sally. “I can smell it now!”
    Connie and Ruth put their noses in the air and sniffed hungrily.
    “The Bisto twins!” said Alicia, hitting the nail right on the head as usual. Everyone laughed.
    “Come on,” said Connie to Ruth. “Let's hurry. I've got the keys. Here they are.”
    She undid both bags and dragged out everything quickly. Ruth picked up a few things and looked round rather helplessly.
    “Here. These must be our drawers, next to our beds,” said Connie, and began to put away all the things most efficiently. She took the washing-things to the basin and called Ruth.
    “Come on, Ruth. We'd better wash. I'm filthy!” Ruth went to join her, and just as they were towelling themselves dry, the supper-bell went. There was a loud chorus of joy.
    “Hurrah! I hope there's a smashing supper. I could do with roast duck, green peas, new potatoes, treacle pudding and lots of cheese,” said Belinda, making everyone's mouth water.
    “What a hope!” said Darrell.
    But all the same there was a most delicious supper that first night—cold ham and tomatoes, great bowls of salad, potatoes roasted in their jackets, cold apple pie and cream, and biscuits and butter for those who wanted it. Big jugs of icy-cold lemonade stood along the table.
    “My word!” said Connie to Ruth. “If this is the kind of food we get here, we'll be lucky! Much better than the other school we went to! “
    “I hate to undeceive you,” said Alicia, “but I feel I must warn you that first-night and last-night suppers are the only good ones you'll get in any term. We're supposed to be jolly hungry after our long journeys to Cornwall—hence this spread. Tomorrow night, twins, you'll have bread and dripping and cocoa.”
    As usual Alicia was exaggerating, and the twins looked rather alarmed. Darrell looked round for Felicity. Where was she? She couldn't have her at the Upper Fourth table, of course, but she hoped she would be near enough to say a word to.
    She was too far away to speak to—and she was next to that nasty little June! June was talking to her animatedly, and Felicity was listening, enthralled.
    Alicia saw Darrell looking across at Felicity