w it out of the window.

Teddy picked it up wonderingly and unwound the paper, while Chet peered
over his shoulder and the girls watched breathlessly from above. When
Teddy came to the part about Billie's capture he was all for storming
the castle, meeting the "Lions in their den, the Pickles in their hall,"
and rescuing the heroine without delay. But Chet held him back.

After that they had what seemed to be a rather heated argument, but Chet
finally got the best of it, and after a wave to the girls, who were
fairly hanging out of the dormitory windows, the two boys started off
and disappeared around the corner of the building.

The girls watched them out of sight, then turned to each other with
shining eyes.

"That ought to bring Miss Walters back in a hurry," said Vi. "Then
everything will be all right."

"Yes, but we may starve before she gets here," said one of the girls
gloomily.

"And Billie! Oh, girls, we've just got to get her out!" added Laura.
"Nobody knows where she is or what they're doing to her."

Without warning, the door opened and Billie herself flew in upon them.

"Girls," she cried breathlessly, "can't you hide me somewhere?
I've--I've--escaped!"

"Escaped!" they cried, crowding around her, all asking questions at
once, feeling her, to be sure that it was really she, until Billie made
frantic signs for them to be quiet.

"Girls," she cried, "please stop talking and listen to me. Miss Cora
will find that I'm gone in a minute, and she's sure to come right here
for me."

"Well, she won't get you, that's one sure thing," cried Laura staunchly.

"But tell us about it," urged another girl. "Did they have you locked
up?"

"Yes," said Billie, adding with a shiver: "And I had a terrible night.
But this morning Miss Cora herself brought me some breakfast--I wish you
could have seen it--and she was just saying some nice mean things to me
when Miss Race called her away for something, said it was important.
Miss Cora went out without locking the door. So I didn't stop for
anything, I just ran. I had something I wanted to tell you."

"Good old Miss Race," Connie interrupted, her eyes shining. "I bet she
just did it on purpose."

"But listen," Billie broke in hurriedly. "I thought of something while I
was locked up, and I want to tell you about it before they catch me
again. It's about getting news to Miss Walters. The boys will probably
be around this morning, and if you could let them know----"