around.
Consequently, the girls would have good music for their frolic and as
Mrs. Bonnell looked to the refreshments, everything was satisfactory
excepting Miss Woodhull's veto upon "the absurd practices of Hallowe'en:"
meaning the love tests of fate and fortune usually made that night. Those
were debarred, though many a one was indulged in in secret of which that
practical lady little kenned.

As a hostess and chaperone were deemed absolutely indispensable upon any
occasion, however informal, Mrs. Bonnell was always eagerly sought after
by the girls to act in the former capacity and Miss Dalton the gym
instructor in the latter. Miss Dalton seemed just like a girl herself,
and was, in fact, not many years her pupils' senior. She was in her
twenty-fourth year, but looked about nineteen, a jolly, chummy, lovable
woman, though no instructor maintained better discipline, or was more
willingly obeyed. She and Mrs. Bonnell worked in perfect harmony when
their duties brought them together.

Now it is only reasonable to surmise that Beverly and the boys had made
the very utmost of the fifteen minutes spent in Athol's room the previous
Wednesday, and some lightening-like communications had been interchanged.
On the way back to Leslie Manor, Beverly, Sally and Aileen had kept
somewhat in the rear, Petty and Hope (by the latter's finesse) contriving
to keep Jefferson between them. This had not been difficult because
Jefferson simply _had_ to have someone to talk to.

What the three in the rear discussed will be seen later. Those leading
were needlessly trying to convince Jefferson of the folly of making any
reference whatsoever to the unexpected route taken that afternoon.

Had they only known it, he was as anxious as they were to keep the affair
from headquarters, his chief misgivings resting in the possibility of the
report coming from Kilton Hall. As a matter of fact, it never occurred to
either Dr. or Mrs. Kilton to report it. It was a mere incident which had
ended rather pleasantly than otherwise, and, as a matter of fact, the
relations between the two schools were not over cordial. Dr. and Mrs.
Kilton had made very gracious overtures to Miss Woodhull when she first
opened Leslie Manor, but desiring to keep distantly at arm's length all
relations with a school that harbored boys, her response had been as
frigid as her New England coast line in February. This was rather
fortunate in the present case. Dr. and Mrs. Kilton n