“All right. You can go more quietly; I’ll wait here.” Katherine sank down on the lowest stair, while Betty flew back to scribble a note which she laid on Rachel’s pillow. Then the relief expedition started.
It was very strange being out so late. Before ten o’clock a girl may go anywhere in Harding, but after ten the streets are deserted and dreadful. Betty shivered and clung close to Katherine, who marched boldly along, declaring that it was much nicer outdoors than in, and that midnight was certainly the top of the evening for a walk.
“And if we find her way up the river we can all camp out for the night,” she suggested jovially.
“But if we don’t find her?”
Katherine, who had noticed Betty’s growing nervousness, refused to entertain the possibility.
“We shall,” she said.
“But if we don’t?” persisted Betty.
“Then I suppose we shall have to tell somebody who–who could–why, hunt for her more thoroughly,” stammered Katherine. “Or possibly we’d better wait till morning and make sure that she didn’t stay all night with Miss Day. But if we don’t find her, there will be plenty of time to discuss that.”
At the campus gateway the girls hesitated.
“Suppose we should meet the night-watchman?” said Betty anxiously. “Would he arrest us?”