noon
Some day-scholars attended this school , and Ruby thought , rather wistfully , how nice it would be if she , too , were going home when school should be out . Maude did not care about being with Ruby during recess time , for she was afraid that Ruby would remember her speech early that morning , and remind her that she instead of Maude was the farthest advanced in her studies . Ruby was becoming acquainted with some of her new classmates , and was finding this first morning of school life very pleasant . The rest of the morning seemed longer than the first part had done , and Ruby as well as most of the others were very glad when the noon intermission came . The day-scholars took out their lunch-baskets , and prepared to eat their lunches , and the bell rang for the boarding-scholars to go up to their rooms and get ready for dinner . As each little girl reached the door , she stopped , turned around and made a courtesy to Miss Chapman who was sitting opposite the door . Ruby watched the girls as they went out one by one .