Chapter I: Front Matter

A Fourth Form Friendship

By ANGELA BRAZIL

"Angela Brazil has proved her undoubted talent for writing a story of schoolgirls for other schoolgirls to read."--=Bookman.=

=The Madcap of the School.=
"A capital school story, full of incident and fun, and
ending with a mystery."--=Spectator.=

=The Luckiest Girl in the School.=
"A thoroughly good girls' school story."--=Truth.=

=The Jolliest Term on Record.=
"A capital story for girls."--=Record.=

=The Girls of St. Cyprian's=: A Tale of School Life.
"St. Cyprian's is a remarkably real school, and Mildred
Lancaster is a delightful girl."--=Saturday Review.=

=The Youngest Girl in the Fifth=: A School Story.
"A very brightly-written story of schoolgirl
character."--=Daily Mail.=

=The New Girl at St. Chad's=: A Story of School Life.
"The story is one to attract every lassie of good
taste."--=Globe.=

=For the Sake of the School.=
"Schoolgirls will do well to try to secure a copy of
this delightful story, with which they will be
charmed."--=Schoolmaster.=

=The School by the Sea.=
"One always looks for works of merit from the pen of
Miss Angela Brazil. This book is no exception."--=School
Guardian.=

=The Leader of the Lower School=: A Tale of School
Life.
"Juniors will sympathize with the Lower School at
Briarcroft, and rejoice when the new-comer wages her
successful battle."--=Times.=

=A Pair of Schoolgirls=: A Story of School-days.
"The story is so realistic that it should appeal to all
girls."--=Outlook.=

=A Fourth Form Friendship=: A School Story.
"No girl could fail to be interested in this
book."--=Educational News.=

=The Manor House School.=
"One of the best stories for girls we have seen for a
long time."--=Literary World.=

=The Nicest Girl in the School.=

=The Third Class at Miss Kaye's=: A School Story.

=The Fortunes of Philippa=: A School Story.

LONDON: BLACKIE & SON, LTD., 50 OLD BAILEY, E.C.

A Fourth Form
Friendship

A School Story

BY

ANGELA BRAZIL

Author of "The New Girl at St. Chad's" "The Manor House School"
"The Nicest Girl in the School" &c.

_ILLUSTRATED BY FRANK E. WILES_

BLACKIE AND SON LIMITED

LONDON GLASGOW AND BOMBAY

Contents

Chap. Page

I. ALDRED'S SKETCH 9

II. MABEL FARRINGTON 27

III. THE MODEL COTTAGE 43

IV. DOMESTIC ECONOMY 60

V. OUT OF BOUNDS 75

VI. AN AWKWARD PREDICAMENT 88

VII. FALSE COLOURS 102

VIII. AMATEUR THEATRICALS 116

IX. CHINESE LANTERNS 127

X. A FROSTY JANUARY 139

XI. VENUS IN THE SNOW 152

XII. THE NEW TEACHER 166

XIII. ALDRED PAYS A VISIT 186

XIV. AN ALARM 200

XV. ON THE RIVER 214

VI. AN OPPORTUNITY 227

XVII. LOSS AND GAIN 245

Illustrations

Page

AN ALARMING DISCOVERY _Frontispiece_ 134

ALDRED OVERHEARS A SURPRISING STORY 38

"WITH A SHRIEK SHE DREW SWIFTLY BACK" 65

FOUR UNHAPPY TRUANTS 97

"'I THINK I UNDERSTAND,' SAID ALDRED" 183

A FOURTH FORM FRIENDSHIP