At the close of the hour “The Merry Hearts” hunted up their president and gathered in an excited group outside the library door.
“I shall be late to astronomy and Jane Ellis will get the only decent telescope to see sun-spots with,” announced Katherine Kittredge, “but I don’t care. What in the world do you suppose he wants of Georgia?”
“Never mind that now,” interposed Mary hastily. “The point is to get the note before some of the girls who know the secret grab it for their memory books. Which hour can you watch the bulletin board, K.?”
“Twelve to one,” answered Katherine briskly, starting after her favorite telescope.
“And Betty is going to take half of this hour. Can you take the rest, Roberta?”
Roberta nodded.
“And I will cut lunch, because I am going down-town for breakfast now, and I shan’t really need any more food at one. That covers the time till two, and the rest of you can arrange about the afternoon later. Now run for your classes.”
Whether intentionally or otherwise, Dr. Eaton led “The Merry Hearts” a tedious chase. Twelve and one came and went, and still no note appeared on the faculty bulletin board, though Dr. Eaton was in his office, liable to emerge at any unguarded moment. At one he went off to lunch, but Mary kept her tryst all the same, because he might come back unexpectedly early. From two to three Babbie sat disconsolately on the stairs, where Dr. Eaton would not notice her—and where it was too dark to read or study. At three Nita came on duty. At three-thirty Rachel took her place and kept it until five, because Babe and Babbie forgot their hours and appeared then, together with Helen Adams. Helen had just sent the two B’s away, because they were so noisy that they would certainly attract attention, when Dr. Eaton swung down the hall straight past his office door, posted a note on the faculty bulletin, and strode off, whistling jovially.
“How much nicer he seems when he thinks nobody is around,” Helen reflected, as, barely waiting until he was out of sight, she seized the note and hurried over to twenty-seven, Belden.