ept very quiet,
tried to tip-toe to the edge of the circle, slip out between two folks and
get away without being caught. That may sound easy, but played in a yard
full of romping boys and girls, it is not really as easy as it might seem
and it was lots of fun, because often folks would think the "Ghost" was
near them and would try to grab--and the joke was on them because all the
while, maybe, the "ghost" was in another part of the ring. And whenever
folks thought they caught the "Ghost" and _didn't_, then every one opened
their eyes, the person who had made the mistake had to get out of the
circle and the game began again. But if the "Ghost" really did get out of
the circle without being caught, then the "Ghost" could hide anywhere in
the yard and the game became an old-fashioned hide-and-seek with everybody
hunting one lucky person.

One day, when Mary Jane was "Ghost," she was determined she would get out
of that circle without getting caught. She had tried it many a time before
and failed; this time she was going to do it. She tiptoed, oh, so softly
over the loose gravel to the edge of the circle. Then noiselessly she
dropped down on hands and knees and, without a thought for her dress,
crawled slowly between Ann and the girl next to her. She could hardly keep
from giggling, it was so funny to be so close she almost bumped them and
yet not to be discovered. Now she was right between them, now she was
almost outside--now she was free and away she dashed to the spot she had
long ago picked out as a hiding place for just such a time as this.

The folks in the circle waited--but nobody was caught, so they shouted,
"Ghost Walk?" and when the "ghost" didn't answer they opened their eyes
and--no Mary Jane was there!

"I'll get her," shouted Ann, "I'll find her! I'll bet she got out on your
side of the circle, Janny, she never could have passed _me_!"

"I'll find her myself," answered Janny, "but she never passed by me, she
didn't!"

So they hunted, up and down the yard, around the bushes, by the doorway,
everywhere they could think of. But no sign of Mary Jane did they
discover. They hunted and they hunted till the gong sounded and they had
to go into school again. But not a sign of any Mary Jane did they find.
Was Mary Jane lost? Miss Treavor must be told so everybody could hunt, for
something surely must have happened to a little girl who didn't answer the
recess bell when it rang for school to begin.

Now it happ