The Famous Five

Christmas Holidays

It was the last week of the Christmas term, and all the girls at Gaylands School were looking forward to the Christmas Holidays. Anne sat down at the breakfast-table and picked up a letter addressed to her.
'Hallo, look at this!' she said to her cousin Georgina,who was sitting beside her. 'A letter from Daddy- and I only had one from him and mummy yesterday.'
'I hope It's not bad news' said George. She wouldn't let anyone call her Georgina, and now even the mistresses call her George. She really was very like to boy with her short curly hair and her boyish ways. She looked anxiously at Anne as her cousin read the letter.
' Oh George - we can't go home for the holidays!' said Anne, with tears in her eyes.' Mummy's got scarlet fever- and Daddy is in quarantine for it- so they can't have us back. Isn't it just too bad?'
' Oh, I am so sorry,' said George. She was just as disappointed for herself as for Anne, because Anne's mother had invited George and her dog Timothy, to stay for the Christmas holidays with them. She has been promised many things that she has never seen before - the circus and the pantomime - and a big party with a fine Christmas tree! Now it wouldn't happen.
' Whatever will the two boys say?' said Anne, thinking of Julian and Dick, her two brothers' They won't be able to go home either.'
' Well- what are you going to do for the holidays then?' asked George .' Won't you come and stay at Kirrin cottage with me?' I'm sure my mother would love to have you again. We had so much fun when you came to stay for the summer holidays.'
' Wait a minute- let me finish the letter and see what Daddy says,' said Anne, picking up the letter again.' Poor Mummy- I do hope she isn't feeling very ill.'
She read a few more lines and then gave such a a delighted exclamation that George and the other girls waited for her to explain.
' George! We are to come to you again- oh blow!- we've got to have a tutor for the holidays, partly to look after us so that your mother doesn't have too much bother with us, and partly because both Julian and Dick have been ill with the flu twice term and have got behind in their work.'
' A tutor! How sickening! That I'll have to do lessons too, I'll bet!' said George,in dismay. ' When my mother and father see my report I guess they'll find out how little I know. After all, this is the first time I've ever been to a proper school, and there are heaps of things that I don't know.'
' What horrid holidays they'll be,if we have a tutor running after us all the time,' said Anne, gloomily.' I expect I'll have a good report, because I've done well in the exams- but it won't be any fun for me not doing lessons with you three in the holidays. Though, of course,I could go off with Timothy,I suppose. He won't be doing lessons!'
' Yes he will,' said George,at once. She could not bear the idea of her beloved dog going off each morning with Anne, while she, George,sat and worked hard with Julian and Dick.
' Timothy can't do lessons, don't be silly, George,' said Anne