“Because I don’t want to go to college at all,” was the blunt answer.  “I want to go to Europe with Ma and Pa and have a good time.  We have loads of money, but what good does that do me if I can’t get a chance to spend it?  I’d fail in all my exams if I dared, but Pa knows I’m not a wooden head, and I’d just have to try it again somewhere else.  So I’ll have to let well enough alone or get in deeper than I am now.”

The stout girl leaned back in her seat and surveyed the trio of girls through half-closed eyes.  “Where did you girls come from and what are your names?” she asked abruptly.  “Partners in misery might as well get acquainted, you know.”

Grace introduced her friends in turn, then said:  “My name is Grace Harlowe, and we three girls live in the city of Oakdale.”

“Never heard of it,” yawned the girl.  “It must be like Fairview, our town, not down on the map.  We live there, because Ma was born there and thinks it the only place on earth, but we manage to go to New York occasionally, thank goodness.  Ever been there?” she queried.

“Once or twice,” smiled Miriam Nesbit.

“Great old town, isn’t it?” remarked their new acquaintance.  “My name is J. Elfreda Briggs.  The J. stands for Josephine, but I hate it.  Ma and Pa call me Fred, and that sounds pretty good to me.  Say, aren’t you girls about starved?  I’m going to hunt the dining car and buy food.  I haven’t had anything to eat since eight o’clock this morning.”

J. Elfreda rose hurriedly, and stumbling over her bag and Grace’s feet, landed in the aisle with more speed than elegance.  “You’d better come along,” she advised.  “They serve good meals on this train.  Besides, I don’t want to eat alone.”  With that she stalked down the aisle and into the car ahead.

“It looks as though we were to have plenty of entertainment for the rest of our journey,” remarked Anne.

“I prefer not to be entertained,” averred Miriam dryly.  “Personally, I am far from impressed with J. Elfreda.  She strikes me as being entirely too fond of her own comfort.  Now that she has vacated your seat, you had better take it, Grace, before she comes back.”

Grace shook her head.  “I don’t dislike riding backward,” she said, “if you don’t mind having her sit beside you.  Perhaps some one will leave the train by the time she comes back; then she will leave us.”

“No such good fortune,” retorted Miriam.  “She prefers our society to none at all.  I think her advice about luncheon isn’t so bad, though.  Suppose we follow it?”

Five minutes later the three girls repaired to the dining car and seated themselves at a table directly across the aisle from their new acquaintance.  J. Elfreda sat toying with her knife and fork, an impatient frown on her smug face.  “These people are the limit,” she grumbled.  “It takes forever to get anything to eat.  If I’d ordered it yesterday, I’d have some hopes of getting it to-day.”  Then, apparently forgetting