"Oh, Janet!" cried the leader of the troop. "We've come to warn you to look out to-night; the sophs are after us. They are coming to-night for sure. Charity Shepherd overheard two of them saying something which gave her an inkling, so every one of us must lock her door early, and be on her guard. They caught Grace Breitner, and she won't tell what they did to her. She only laughs when we ask her."
"Oh, dear," exclaimed Edna Waite, "can't we keep them away, Cordelia?"
Cordelia Lodge, a bright-looking girl, with a way of squinting up her eyes when she laughed, smiled as she turned to the girl behind her. "Do you hear that, Lee? Can we keep them away?"
"We can try," replied Lee coming forward, "but the sophs are as inflexible as fate once they determine on a thing, and it's mighty hard to evade them."
"Well," remarked Janet, "we can do one thing; we can make it hot for them. I know what I shall do."
"What, Janet? Do tell!" said a chorus of voices.
But Janet shook her head. "No, I think it is up to each one of us to work out her own escape. We may look our doors, but if they are determined to get in, they may find a way of doing it, so the best thing for us to do is to prepare for their reception."
The girls looked at each other. "We'll prepare," they exclaimed.
"Come on, girls," cried Cordelia, "each to her lair, and a murrain on whoever backs out in her preparations."
"What do you intend to do?" asked Edna as the troop left, and Janet grabbed her hat pinning it upon her dark locks.