The Corner House Girls at School   By: Grace Brooks Hill

BY GRACE BROOKS HILL

Author of "The Corner House Girls," "The Corner House Girls Under Canvas," etc.

ILLUSTRATED BY R. EMMETT OWEN

GROSSET & DUNLAP PUBLISHERS NEW YORK

Copyright, 1915 By BARSE & CO.

Printed in the United States of America

[Illustration: Agnes stooped lower and shot up the course, passing Trix not three yards from the line.]

CONTENTS

I A Goat, Four Girls, and a Pig

II The White headed Boy

III The Pig is Important

IV Neale O'Neil Gets Established

V Crackers and a Toothache

VI Agnes Loses Her Temper and Dot Her Tooth

VII Neale in Disguise

VIII Introductions

IX Popocatepetl in Mischief

X The Ice Storm

XI The Skating Race

XII The Christmas Party

XIII The Barn Dance

XIV Uncle Rufus' Story of the Christmas Goose

XV Sadie Goronofsky's Bank

XVI A Quartette of "Lady Bountifuls"

XVII "That Circus Boy!"

XVIII Snowbound

XIX The Enchanted Castle

XX Trix Severn in Peril

XXI A Backyard Circus

XXII Mr. Sorber

XXIII Taming a Lion Tamer

XXIV Mr. Murphy Takes a Hand

XXV A Bright Future

THE CORNER HOUSE GIRLS AT SCHOOL

CHAPTER I

A GOAT, FOUR GIRLS, AND A PIG

When Sam Pinkney brought Billy Bumps over to the old Corner House, and tied him by the corner of the woodshed, there was at once a family conclave called. Sam was never known to be into anything but mischief; therefore when he gravely presented the wise looking old goat to Tess, suspicion was instantly aroused in the Kenway household that there was something beside good will behind Master Sam's gift.

"Beware of the Greeks when they come bearing gifts," Agnes freely translated.

"But you know very well, Aggie, Sammy Pinkney is not a Greek. He's Yankee like us. That's a Greek man that sells flowers down on Main Street," said Tess, with gravity.

"What I said is allegorical," pronounced Agnes, loftily.

"We know Allie Neuman Tess and me," ventured Dot, the youngest of the Corner House girls. "She lives on Willow Street beyond Mrs. Adams' house, and she is going to be in my grade at school."

"Oh, fine, Ruth!" cried Agnes, the twelve year old, suddenly seizing the eldest sister and dancing her about the big dining room. "Won't it be just fine to get to school again?"

"Fine for me," admitted Ruth, who had missed nearly two years of school attendance, and was now going to begin again in her proper grade at the Milton High School.

"Eva Larry says we'll have the very nicest teacher there is Miss Shipman. This is Eva's last year in grammar school, too, you know. We'll graduate together," said Agnes.

Interested as Tess and Dot were in the prospect of attending school in Milton for the first time, just now they had run in to announce the arrival of Mr. Billy Bumps.

"And a very suggestive name, I must say," said Ruth, reflectively. "I don't know about that Pinkney boy. Do you suppose he is playing a joke on you, Tess?"

"Why, no!" cried the smaller girl. "How could he? For the goat's there. "

"Maybe that's the joke," suggested Agnes.

"Well, we'll go and see him," said Ruth. "But there must be some reason beside good will that prompted that boy to give you such a present."

"I know," Dot said, solemnly.

"What is it, Chicken little?" demanded the oldest sister, pinching the little girl's cheek.

"Their new minister," proclaimed Dot.

"Their what ?" gasped Agnes.

"Who, dear?" asked Ruth.

"Mrs. Pinkney's new minister. She goes to the Kaplan Chapel," said Dot, gravely, "and they got a new minister there. He came to call at Mrs. Pinkney's and the goat wasn't acquainted with him."

"Oh ho!" giggled Agnes. "Light on a dark subject."