“Whar dose fool gals at wid dey trays?” he muttered, “Seem lak gals ain’ never whar yo’ want ’em when yo’ want ’em, an’ pintedly dar when yo’ don’. Ma Lawd, whar’ dat ’lectric switch at,” he ended as he clawed about the dark wall at the side of the door for the duplicate of the switch Miss Woodhull had so carefully turned off.
As he found it a groan just behind him caused him to swing sharply about.
Unless one has heard a darkie’s howl of terror at what he believes to be an apparition it is utterly impossible to convey any idea of its weirdness.
Wesley tried to reach the door. So did the tall spook. The result was a collision which sent Wesley heels over head, and before he could scramble to his feet again two spooks instead of one had vanished.
With a second howl the darkie shot across the gym and out of the door which led into the main building, where his cries speedily brought an audience to which he protested that:
“De hants done got dis house, suah!” and so successfully drew attention to the main floor that the three girls had no difficulty in slipping back to Number 10 and raising a window to listen to the thud of hoofbeats down the driveway.
So ended All Saint’s Eve, though Wesley Watts Mather long retained his horror of that gymnasium after nightfall.
Then for a time all moved serenely at Leslie Manor. Thanksgiving recess was drawing nigh and the girls were planning for their holiday, which would begin on the afternoon of the day before and last until the following Monday morning.
Beverly was, of course, going to Woodbine, the boys to be her escort from Front Royal, to which junction she would be duly escorted by Miss Stetson, in company with Sally and Aileen, who were also going home.
Petty Gaylord was to join her doting mamma in Washington and proceed from that city to Annapolis to attend the Thanksgiving hop at the Naval Academy with the idol of her affections and also go up to the Army-Navy game in Philadelphia upon the Saturday following, and Petty was a very geyser of gurgling giggles at the prospect.