This brought the director to her feet, and having already pulled on her slippers she quickly proceeded to take inventory and count heads.
With the lantern in hand she made sure each bed was where it might be expected to be, although she did have to pull down blankets to inspect, but when she got over in the corner to Helen’s quarters——
“Where’s Madaline?” she asked.
Helen ventured to poke her head from its hiding place and then felt around beside her.
“She isn’t—here!” came the surprising reply.
“Where is she? Could she have fallen out?” Miss Mackin gathered the blanket ends to look carefully under the cots, but no Madaline was discovered.
“Oh!” shrieked a chorus, as a terrific gust of wind somehow succeeded in blowing out their only light!
Such confusion as followed!
The girls screamed and howled. Corene begged them to keep quiet, and after a moment or two that seemed like an hour, the wind was again roaring in solo, while the girls at last listened to the entreaties of their director.
“Please be quiet,” she begged. “I turned the lantern suddenly and with the wind it blew out. There, it is lighted again,” and the welcome glow returned. “But where is Madaline?”