Part 15 (2/2)
”Perhaps, if I skip along, you two may fight it out in comfort,”
suggested Minette. ”I'll away-and-see-some-folks,” she finished enigmatically. But Judith had the interpretive key.
CHAPTER XIV-BAFFLING STRATEGY
”Shh! Ss.h.!.+ Careful!”
”Keep back, Ted. They'll see your feet!”
”No bigger than yours!”
”Hush there, you two rowdies. Do you want to have us all captured?”
”Larry is pinching me!”
”Never saw such babies. We will run you all home, if you don't behave.
I wish I had the other line to lead. They would-obey.”
”Hush, kids. We'll be expelled. But isn't it too funny?”
”Might be for you, but I'm choked. If I don't get this mask off soon I'll collapse and you'll have a real funeral.”
t.i.tters and gasps, m.u.f.fled giggles and escaping ”S-sis.h.!.+” like a steam valve leaking noise, the sophs and their co-workers among the freshmen were crowding around Oak Hall for the all-absorbing election. As usual on this occasion the fres.h.i.+es were in a panic of fun. They knew nothing of the agony of being captured by the juniors, and the masked line with the perfect disguise of gym uniform, and the head winders, found more ways of giving expression to forbidden mirth than even their giggling reputation credited them with. ”The Babes,” ever fractious, were simply exasperating to-night, and Judith, with her scouts, more than once threatened to drive them home to bed at the very next whimper.
Directly back of Oak Hall the plotters plotted. They were to a.s.semble there, rush into the hall at a given signal, and put the election over before the other contingent gained their bearings.
”All counted?” whispered Judith.
”Yes,” replied Dozia Dalton, ”and some to spare.”
”Sure they're ours?” cautioned Judith again.
”They had the grip,” replied Dozia.
”And the pa.s.s word?”
”I didn't try it.”
”We have to-spies could defeat us.”
”All right. Wait,” and the fearless Dozia crept through the line of masked figures until she reached number forty-eight. Here she halted.
”Grip?” she whispered, and the figure gripped.
”Pa.s.sword?” she ordered again, but no word came.
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