d that will insure
his good behavior."

"Thank you, angel Nora," replied Hippy gratefully. "You will be spared
any obnoxious vegetables, even though the others may suffer."

"For that you walk," said David, who had dropped Hippy and was engaged
in helping the girls into the machine.

"Never," replied Hippy, making a dive for the automobile. "I shall sit
at the feet of the fair Jessica. Reddy will be so pleased."

"Every one ready?" sang out David, as he took his place at the wheel
after cranking up the machine.

"All ready, let her go," was the chorus, and the machine whizzed down
the street.

CHAPTER XXII

AS YOU LIKE IT

The big dressing rooms on each side of the stage at Assembly Hall were
ablaze with light. There was a hum of girlish voices and gay laughter,
and all the pleasant excitement attending an amateur production
prevailed. The dressing had been going on for the last hour, and now a
goodly company of courtiers and dames stood about waiting while Miss
Tebbs and Miss Kane rapidly "made up their faces" with rouge and powder.
This being done to prevent them from looking too pale when in the white
glare of the footlights.

Miriam Nesbit as the "Duke" looked particularly fine, and the girls
gathered around her with many exclamations of admiration. Nora's roguish
face looked out from her fool's cap in saucy fashion as she flitted
about jingling her bells. Grace made a handsome Orlando, while Jessica
looked an ideal shepherdess.

"Where's Anne?" said Grace as Nora paused in front of her. "I haven't
see her to-night. I suppose she's over in the other dressing room.
Miss Tebbs said that some of the costumes were moved over there after
we left last night. What time is it? I didn't wear my watch to-night
because I didn't want to risk losing it."

"It's almost half past seven," said Jessica. "I asked Miss Tebbs for the
time just a few minutes ago."

"Let's go and find Anne at once, then," said Nora. "It's getting late,
and she surely is dressed by this time. Then we'll look through the hole
in the curtain at the house. People are beginning to arrive."

"Wait a minute," said Jessica. "There's Mabel. Doesn't she look great as
Jaques? Come here, dear," called Jessica.

Mabel Allison joined the three girls, who hurried across the stage to
the other dressing room in search of Anne Pierson.

"Why, I don't see her here," cried Grace, making a quick survey of the
room. "She must be somewhere about, fo