“Give me shelter, Miss Willard?” he asked, breathlessly. “You know I’m coming up to high school in February, and the Beta Sigs and the Elks are both trying to pledge me now, so as to be sure of me when I get there. The Elks are bound to clinch the thing to-day, but I don’t want to give them an answer till I see what the Beta Sigs are going to do, and they’ve asked me down to their frat house to-night. I’ve skipped out, so my mother can tell the Elk boys I’m not at home. Oh, look! They’re coming over here. Hide me somewhere!”
While he was speaking, Jacquette, entering into the fun, had hurried him into the dining-room, and had drawn the heavy curtains.
“Don’t give me away, now! On your honour,” was his parting injunction, as she turned to admit the delegation of Elks—but the whole affair took a different colour, a minute later, when the first Elk to walk in was Bobs Drake!
Playing a joke on Bobs was the last thing she had thought of. She had never before known him to take an active part in fraternity contentions; yet here he was, and there, in the dining-room, was Rodney, trusting her to keep him hidden. There was nothing to do but to carry it through, and explain to Bobs, afterward.
“We just stopped to ask if you’d seen Rod Fletcher to-day?” he was saying, as she reached this decision.
“Why, yes; he was here a little while ago,” she answered, cautiously.
“We can’t get track of him,” put in another boy. “His mother says she doesn’t know where he is.”
“Does she? Well, he isn’t at home, then. Mrs. Fletcher would tell you if he were,” Jacquette assured them, beginning to enjoy the joke for its own sake, and feeling certain that Bobs was going to understand, later on.
“We won’t stay. I see you’re studying,” Bobs said, considerately. “But we’d appreciate it if you’d put in a good word for the Elks with Rodney. We don’t want the Beta Sigs to get him, because he’s worth having.”
“I’m sorry, Bobs,” she answered, decidedly, “but I’ve promised Aunt Sula that I won’t take sides with any fraternity. Besides, I doubt if Rodney would be influenced by anything I could say.”