I think they will take it so;
I'm sure I should."

"Perhaps so. But it will mean a great deal of work."

"We will not object to the work," said Mary Wilson, "if we only succeed in
carrying out Elizabeth's idea."

The details were further discussed. Then they began to apportion a certain
section of the Hall for each girl to visit.

"We need not visit them all. Each new recruit will be put to work to get
other signers."

Anna Cresswell continued her writing. At last she spoke. "We will have
this run off on the typewriter. Listen. Is this just what you intend,
Elizabeth?" She read:

"We, the undersigned students of Exeter Hall, not being contented with the
present method of conducting examinations, believing that it casts
reflections upon the honor of each student, do hereby suggest a means of
reformation. We pledge ourselves individually to receive no assistance at
such times. Furthermore, we will quietly but firmly discountenance among
the students any methods not strictly honorable.

"We respectfully request Dr. Morgan to have examinations conducted
hereafter without the presence of instructors, we pledging ourselves that
under our supervision they will reflect credit both upon Exeter and the
students."

"You have done it beautifully. My father could not have done it better,"
said Elizabeth. "Now we must get the names of the best girls at Exeter."

"Don't have a name of one who does not mean to keep her pledge," advised
Miss Cresswell. "Fifty people in earnest are worth more than an hundred,
half of whom veer with the wind."

"But as Anna Cresswell said before," began Mary Wilson excitedly, "there
will be some who will cheat. What will we do?"

"Most of the girls will agree to this, and the majority can be depended
upon to do as they pledge themselves. If you keep your eyes open in the
class-room, you can soon discover who has no sense of honor. These may be
taken quietly aside and spoken to. If they transgress a second time, we
will make the affair public." This advice came from Miss Cresswell.

At the close of her speech, Mame Welch arose. "If we don't scatter soon,
the lights will be out, and I do not care to wander down the staircase in
the dark. I did it once, and I had a bump on my head for a week. One's
head is not the best 'lighting' place. Come, Carrie Hirsch, you go my way.
If the lights go out, we will fall together." Slipping her arm through
Carrie's, and bidding the others good-night, she quit