“Kiss me,” said Aunt Sallie, “and go back to bed at once. It is nearly morning.”
When Mr. and Mrs. Cartwright drew up in front of the New Haven hotel, at a little after two o’clock next day, they found Miss Sallie and the four girls surrounded by a circle of college boys. With them stood a policeman.
“What has happened?” said Mrs. Cartwright in astonishment, jumping out of her car, as Donald Cartwright, Hugh Post and Ralph Ewing came down to meet her. “Are those my girls, to whom I am to introduce you to-day?”
“Goodness!” demanded Hugh. “Did you think we would wait twelve hours for an introduction! Do come and hear all that has happened.”
Miss Stuart, looking a good deal shaken by her adventures, came forward to meet Mrs. Cartwright. “Listen!” she said dramatically, for Barbara was talking to the policeman.
“No, we would neither of us know him, because neither my friend nor I ever saw him before. It was dark and he was masked. But he was slight—not a big, rough kind of man—and his hands were soft, but strong as steel. I don’t believe,” she leaned over and whispered, “he could have been a servant, or an ordinary burglar.”
“We have discovered, miss, that no entrance was made from the outside. Any guests who left the hotel this morning will be followed and examined. The chief will report to you later,” the policeman said, with a low bow to Miss Sallie.
“Well, is this the way you see a nice, quiet, old college town?” Mrs. Cartwright inquired. “I suppose you mean to take the next train for home.”
“No such thing!” retorted Ruth, smiling, and looking as bright and fresh as ever. “We don’t mind a few weeny adventures, do we, Aunt Sallie?”
Miss Sallie held up her hands in horror. “Weeny adventures! What shall we expect next! However, I’ve promised the girls to go on. I think we need the trip, now, more than ever, and I want to ask Mr. Cartwright to keep the matter as quiet as possible. I do not wish my brother to know.”