First published in 1886, this early school story tells of the boarding-school life of Hetty Thornton, a studious, proud girl, and her various associates, most notably: warm-hearted, mischievous, lazy Annie Forest, the favorite of the school, and Hester's enemy.

Originally published in 1894, this delightful school-girl tale is a sequel to L.T. Meade's A World of Girls, and is set in the home of Hester and Nan Thornton, where Annie Forrest has come for a holiday visit. Mr. Lorimer, a neighbor in danger of losing his estate, comes into the story, as does Hester and Nan's father, Sir John Thorton.