"That's just the way with Janet," said Rosalie; "all the dumb creatures immediately know by instinct when she is around and come shying up to her. They know who is fond of them. She stops to pet every dissipated old cat she sees on the streets, and every stray dog in the neighborhood follows her home and sits howling after her on the steps of Hopper Hall till the janitor drives him away."
Janet laughed. "It isn't quite so bad as that, though I do like beasties, don't I, doggie?" She patted the collie's silky head, and he responded by laying his paw in her lap.
They lingered till nearly every one had gone, and then started forth to find it darker than they supposed, and the way rather difficult with bunkers and wires in the path. But they reached the terminus in time to see the light of an approaching car bearing down toward them.
"Just in time," said Rosalie cheerfully. "We shall get back in comfortable time for dinner."
The car came on with a rush, down grade, but with such force as to cause it to go scudding off the track some yards beyond.
"There!" exclaimed the conductor, "we're in for it."
"Why, what's the matter?" inquired the girls, crowding up.
"Broken the switch. Have to send back for a wrecking car."
"Gracious!" exclaimed Rosalie. "How long will it take?"
"Oh an hour or two before we get it all right again," said the man, watching the form of the motorman who was putting off down the road as fast as he could travel.