Emily and the Headmistress

With deep misgivings Emily heard the news that she was to spend the holidays at school, and the comments and taunts of her friends and enemies as they waved good-bye from the school bus at the end of term did little to raise her spirits. When it came to the point, however, she found there were all sorts of little privileges to be enjoyed: the food was distinctly better and neither the kitchen nor the kitchen garden was out of bounds. In fact the beginning of the term came all too soon and, resentful perhaps at again being one of many, Emily rebeled. She broke all the rules and was always in trouble and finally wore herself out trying to keep a blackbird with a broken wing in a rabbit hutch under her bed in the dormitory.