Faith and Muriel were studying together the next morning, which chanced to be Saturday, when they heard a hurrying of feet in the corridor and then a merry banging on the door.
“Come in,” Muriel called. The door was flung open and in bounced Gladys Goodsell and Catherine Lambert, wearing tennis shoes and carrying their racquets and balls.
“Top o’ the morning to you,” Gladys sang out.
“The coast is clear!” Catherine announced almost at the same time.
The two, who were seated at a small table strewn with papers and books, looked up inquiringly.
“What coast and how clear?” Faith inquired.
Gladys threw herself down upon the window seat while Catherine perched on the foot of the bed.
“Marianne Carnot and Adelaine Stuart have gone to the city for the day. Think of that! They left on the mail boat at nine o’clock sharp, chaperoned by Miss Widdemere, and are to return at six-thirty P. M. Were we ever in greater luck?”
Still the listeners were puzzled.
“Faith Morley, put on your thinking bonnet! Don’t you know that we have been just pining to have an opportunity to instruct Muriel in the beginnings of tennis without being spied upon by our arch-enemy, whatever that may mean. Anyway, it sounds much grander than just enemy.”