“Oh, girls, such luck! Just as I came out of my room I ran right into Maud Hanscomb’s arms, and she wouldn’t let me go till I’d told her what was up and promised to let her and the other girls share our fun. She said they suspected something was up, and they were bound to share it. And such a spread! Land knows how they got it! Just look.”
The tubs were now groaning under their burden of king apples, cookies, which bore a striking resemblance to those served at dinner; crackers, which had surely rested in the housekeeper’s pantry, and, joy of joys, a huge tub of ice cream, to say nothing of what the original five brought.
“Now, girls, come on! Let’s eat our cream and make sure of it in case of accidents,” said the stout red ghost, in red cap and mask, who presided over the tub. “No time to get plates, so hand over anything you’ve got, and excuse the elegance of my spoon. It’s cook’s soup spoon, and may give the cream an oniony flavor, but that will add to the novelty,” she said as she served it.
“Who is she, anyhow?” asked one girl, who sat eating cream from a soap dish.
“Haven’t the least idea. One of the old girls, I dare say, but who cares when she can conjure up such delicacies?”
As midnight struck appetites and feast came to an end.
“I vote,” whispered one girl, “that we all take off our masks and have a good look at each other, so we’ll know who’s who when we meet in public.”
“It’s a go,” whispered several others, and off they all came.
“Let’s have more light,” said the donor of the cream, and reached up and touched the electric button.
“Oh! Oh! Oh! Don’t! Miss Preston will catch us!” cried dismayed voices, but Miss Preston herself stood before them, a red mask in one hand and a great spoon in the other.