Part 37 (1/2)

”I will send Henry down town with a note at once to her. She shall sleep in peace to-night, after all, if my a.s.surance of good will and sympathy will help her to do so.”

The news of the German teacher's trouble circulated among the girls and it was noticeable that those who took German were more careful about giving the good, if excitable, lady trouble during the weeks that immediately followed.

Meanwhile Bess finished the ”fascinator.” The other girls friendly to the chums in Room Seven, Corridor Four, brought gifts, too. Beautiful Beulah had an afternoon reception that was the talk of the Hall for weeks.

Of course, the little folk came; Nan was friends with every child in the primary grades, and she invited them to come and bring their dolls.

There was tea and cakes enough for all; and the ”reception” overflowed into the corridor. Mademoiselle Loro (who had taken a great fancy to Nan Sherwood) presided at the tea-table. The little Frenchwoman had by no means forgotten her youth and she did not cast any ”damper” upon the occasion, as Bess Harley was afraid she would.

”I don't know how it is, Nan,” said Bess, when the entertainment was over and they were alone. ”You are just the funniest girl I ever heard of. Any other girl would never have thought of inviting a teacher to a doll's party; if she had, the girls would have been afraid to come. But we had a splendid time, and I shall try to please Mademoiselle more in the future. She's an awfully nice old thing.”

Nan only smiled. In her wise little brain this very result had been foreseen. She had begun to see that when the girls and the teachers only met in the cla.s.sroom, or at meals, they did not ”warm up to each other”; social intercourse with their instructors made the girls less antagonistic toward them.

The weather grew colder and the ice was p.r.o.nounced safe. Skating began, and the chums from Tillbury soon showed the other girls how well they could skate together. Walter Mason declared he had just as soon skate with Nan Sherwood as with any boy he knew.

Nan and Bess went down to Mrs. Cupp's room one day to ask for the privilege of going to town to get their skates sharpened. It was late afternoon and growing dusky in the stairways. There was no light in Mrs.

Cupp's room.

Before the girls reached the top of the flight leading to the bas.e.m.e.nt they heard the matron scream. Then a sharp, shrill voice cried:

”I want my money! Give me my money! You and Miss Vane are trying to keep it from me. I want my money!”

”Go away! Go away!” the startled girls heard Mrs. Cupp murmur.

”I'll haunt you! I'll foller you----”

Bess had uttered a cry. Out of the matron's room scuttled a thin, black figure, which darted down the stairs.

”The boathouse ghost!” gasped Bess, clinging to Nan, in fright.

”Goodness!” returned Nan. ”If it is, he's a long way off his beat, isn't he? Boathouse ghost, indeed!”

But when they went into the matron's room they found Mrs. Cupp lying back in her chair, in a pitiable state of fright.

CHAPTER XXIX

ALL ABOUT THE BOATHOUSE GHOST

Susan, her black face set in a very grim expression, came to wait upon Mrs. Cupp. ”Go 'long, chillen,” she commanded, ”I'll 'tend to her.”

”But she's been dreadfully frightened, Susan,” cried Nan, sympathetically.

”She saw a ghost, Susan,” whispered Bess, perhaps a little wickedly.

Susan rolled her eyes. ”Go 'long, chile! Wot ghos'?”

”The boathouse ghost, I declare!” said Bess, with decision. ”Wasn't it, Nan? All black--and small--and it squealed. Didn't it, Nan?”

”It was a boy,” said her chum. ”And he ran down cellar. Somebody ought to look into it.”