ht!" groaned Jessica. "What shall we do?"

"No we aren't yet," answered Grace. "Especially if she is coming alone,
and that is what I am praying for."

"I'll come with you, Miriam," called the voice of the sophomore leader.

"Why don't you take the other side?" proposed Miriam. "And I'll go
around and meet you."

"Very well," came the answer.

The freshmen clutched each other and waited.

Miriam ran lightly along the roof, and came upon the seven prostrate
figures so suddenly that she almost lost her balance.

"Don't speak," said Grace, in a distinct whisper, "and don't give us
away. If you do, you will regret it. Remember the blue domino who
waltzed with you!"

She hoped Miriam would understand what she meant and so save her from
further explanation. In this Grace was right. Miriam was trapped at
last. She deliberately turned and walked away without a word.

"Come on, girls," they heard her call to the others, "let's waste no
more time on them." When all was quiet the seven intriguers slipped down
the fire escape and disappeared in the darkness--safely escaping
discovery.

CHAPTER VII

ALL HALLOWE'EN

"Anne," called a chorus of boys' and girls' voices, "come out and have
some fun. Have you forgotten it's Hallowe'en?"

The door of the Pierson cottage opened and Anne appeared on the
threshhold.

"I can't," she answered; "I must study to-night."

"Oh, bother lessons!" exclaimed Grace Harlowe. "Skip them, for once, and
join the crowd. We are going Hallowe'ening. Mother allowed it because
David Nesbit and Reddy Brooks are along to look after us."

Anne looked longingly at the little company.

"I'll come," she sighed, "although it was my algebra I was working on.
You know Miss Leece hates me, and, if I slip up, she'll be much harder
than any of the other teachers."

"Hang Miss Leece!" said David promptly.

"Well, let's hang her, then," exclaimed Nora. "Let's dress her up and
hang her on a limb of a tree."

"What do you mean by 'hang' her?" asked Grace, while Anne went in to put
on her hat and coat.

"Don't you know?" replied Nora. "You stuff an old dress full of hay and
paper, make a head out of any old thing, put a hat on it, and there you
have her mighty fine."

"That's an old stunt, Nora," observed David. "Let's have something more
improved and up-to-date. Suppose, for instance, we use Marian's
Jack-o'-lantern for the head. I'll put some little electric bulbs in the
eye holes and atta