“But I don’t understand you,” said Miss Madison excitedly. She had grown very pale and was hanging on to Katherine’s arm. “Do you mean that there is such a story–that fifty freshmen are to be sent home after mid-years?”
“Yes,” said Mary sadly, “there is, and that’s what I meant. I’m sorry that I should have been the one to tell you, but you’d have heard it from some one else, I’m sure. A thing like that is always repeated so. Remember, I assure you I don’t believe a word of it. Somebody probably started it on purpose to frighten you little freshmen. If you would take my skates, Betty. I hate to lug them around till dinner time. Now good-bye, and do cheer up.”
Left to themselves the four freshmen stared blankly at one another. Finally Katherine broke the mournful silence.
“Girls,” she said solemnly, “it’s utter foolishness to worry about this report. Mary didn’t believe it herself, and why should we?”
“She’s not a freshman,” suggested Alice gloomily.
“There are almost four hundred freshmen. Perhaps the fifty wouldn’t be any of us,” put in Betty.
Miss Madison maintained a despairing silence.
“Well,” said Katherine at last, “if it is true there’s nothing to be done about it now, I suppose; and if it isn’t true, why it isn’t; so I think I’ll go to basket-ball,” and she detached Miss Madison and started off.
Betty gave a prolonged sigh. “I must go too,” she said. “I’ve promised to study Latin. I presume it isn’t any use, but I can’t disappoint Rachel. I wish I was a fine student like Rachel. She won’t be one of the fifty.”
Alice, who had been in a brown study, emerged, just as Betty turned away.