“Girls,” began Miss Elting brightly, after Harriet had left them. “Harriet reminded us that we are Meadow-Brook Girls. Let’s show that we are by giving the Meadow-Brook yell. Now. One, two, three, go!”
“Meadow-Brook. Meadow-Brook.
Rah, rah, rah!
Meadow-Brook, Meadow-Brook,
Sis, boom, ah-h-h!”
The girls’ voices grew stronger after the second line. The voices of Miss Elting and Tommy Thompson rose above those of the other two. Some one laughed. It was Tommy. Her laugh was a trifle hysterical, but it was a laugh, and for the moment it relieved the strain somewhat. Miss Elting gave them no time to think about themselves.
“Girls. Forty-nine Blue Bottles now,” she cried, then began the chant herself, the others joining in promptly.
“Forty-nine blue bottles were hanging on the wall,
Forty-nine blue bottles were hanging on the wall.
Take one of the bottles down and there’ll be forty-eight
blue bottles a hanging on the wall, a hanging on the
wall.”
They continued to chant regardless of aching throats and hoarse voices, until every one of those offending blue bottles had been removed from the wall.
“Now the Meadow-Brook yell again. It will bring assistance to us if any one hears it,” reminded the guardian. They repeated the yell.
“Gracious!” cried Miss Elting.
“Oh, what is it now?” begged Margery, in a frightened voice.