Harriet lay wide awake for some time. She heard faint whispers being
exchanged between Patricia and Cora. Harriet recalled a swift look that
passed between the two girls when Tommy was telling her exciting story.

"Those girls have had something to do with this," declared Harriet to
herself. "But surely, they were not to blame for Tommy's having had the
nightmare. Tommy had only herself to blame for that. Still, how did she
get outside? That is what I should like to know. I think Miss Patricia
Scott and Miss Cora Kidder could explain something of that if they were to
tell the truth."

Having reached this conclusion, Harriet Burrell went to sleep and slept
until morning without further interruption. She was awakened by the
morning bell. Patricia and Cora had already dressed and gone out. Tommy
was asleep, deaf to the jangling morning bell.

"Tommy, Tommy! Get up," called Harriet. Tommy muttered. Harriet went over
and shook her until she was wide awake. "You have only fifteen minutes to
dress, dear."

"I don't want to dreth. I want to thleep," objected Tommy. Harriet pulled
her out of bed, causing Tommy to sit down heavily on the floor. Muttering
and scolding, Grace dragged herself about wearily and began making her
morning toilet. But she protested with every move she made. Just before
the fifteen minute time allowance had expired, the two girls stepped out
into a glorious forest morning. Great trees towered above them, the forest
birds were raising their voices in a melodious chorus, fresh, pungent
odors from spruce and hemlock trees filled the air and somewhere near at
hand, a stream splashed and rippled musically.

"Glorious!" breathed Harriet. "Oh, isn't it wonderful, Grace, dear?"

Grace Thompson's eyes lighted up appreciatively, then they danced merrily.
All at once, Grace raised her voice shrilly in the yell of the
Meadow-Brook Girls:

"Rah, rah, rah,
Rah, rah, rah!
Meadow-Brook, Meadow-Brook,
Thithboom ah!"

"Tommy, Tommy, you shouldn't have done that," rebuked Harriet.

Fully a dozen girls sprang from their tents attracted by the new cry; then
they began laughing when they saw Harriet in her torn skirt and had gotten
a good look at Tommy Thompson's impish face.

"Young ladies, do you know what day this is?" reminded one girl who seemed
older than any of the others outside.

"Yeth. It ith the greatetht day I ever thaw and I'm going to yell thome
more after I have my breakfatht," d