CHAPTER XVIII.
THREATENING CLOUDS.
But Betty and Tony behaved extremely well.

They escaped the measles, and all risk of infection was over long before the end of term came--and even a first term at school must come to an end some time.
Kitty at last had but seven more slips to tear off and seven more dates to strike through, and for sheer pleasure she left them untouched.
Time did not need helping along now.
Then came the last day, when the boxes stood packed and strapped and labelled, and a general air of holidays and freedom from rules pervaded the whole house.

Rhoda and Cicely Collins were leaving very early.
Rhoda wanted to go by the earliest train because the fares were slightly lower.

Rhoda was of a saving disposition.

It always gave her the greatest pleasure to be able to economize in any way, and her stores of twine and paper, old corks, scraps of writing-paper, old pens, and other things, afforded food for endless jokes amongst the rest of the girls.
Cicely, on the other hand, was the exact opposite of her sister; but being the younger, and less masterful, she gave in to Rhoda, and on the day they were to go home she rose, at Rhoda's command, from her bed at six o'clock, very unwillingly though, for the saving of threepence on her journey was nothing to Cicely in comparison to the discomfort of rising early.
Hope Carey had gone home some weeks before, having fretted herself ill with anxiety about her mother.