s of the part the "Codfish" had played in it
until to-night. "It gives me the shivers to think that an awful thing
like that, with red hair and a fishy mouth, should be wandering around
loose."

"I'm sure I'll dream of him to-night," said one of the other girls
plaintively.

"Speaking of dreams," said Billie, getting to her feet so quickly that
she almost upset the girl beside her, "don't you all think we'd better
get back to our dorm? It's after midnight, and--I'm awfully afraid of
Miss Ada."

"Well, I'm not--not after to-night," said Laura. "You surely did fool
the Pickle with your snoring, Billie."

"Yes. But next time somebody else will have to do the snoring," said
Billie, with a rueful little smile.

There followed whispered good-nights interspersed with giggles, and
finally the five girls from dormitory "C" tiptoed across the hall, and,
silent as mice, crept into their own room.

Quickly they undressed and slipped into their white nightgowns,
listening breathlessly every once in a while for some sound that might
tell of discovery.

None came, however; the big house was as silent as a tomb and Billie was
just about to slip into bed when she happened to look out of the window.

The moon was bright, bathing the smooth lawn of Three Towers in a light
almost as bright as day, so that Billie could not have been mistaken in
what she saw.

A man ran quickly, furtively, across the lawn and disappeared in the
shadow of the trees bordering the lake. Billie's heart amazingly skipped
a beat and then stood still.

CHAPTER XVI

MYSTERY

For several minutes Billie Bradley stood at the window straining her
eyes in the direction in which the man had disappeared, scarcely daring
to breathe.

Then, when she was sure that whoever the fellow was he did not intend to
come back, she turned from the window with a little sigh of mingled
excitement and relief.

It was only a sigh, but it sounded so loud in the stillness of the room
that it suddenly brought Billie to her senses.

Shivering a little, she crept into bed and drew the covers up under her
chin. It would never do to be discovered by Miss Ada at this last
minute, and she certainly could not do any good by standing there
staring out of the window.

Whoever the man was, he had gone now and would not return. But could she
be sure of that? Suppose he had been a thief--she shivered and drew the
covers over her head. In that case she should have roused Mis