"To-night!"
Judith's voice thrilled. Willard stared at her. Her eyes looked wider than usual, and very bright. She was smiling a strange little smile, and a rare dimple, which he really believed she had made with a slate pencil, showed in her cheek. The light in her face was something new to him, something he did not understand, and therefore being of masculine mind, wished to remove.
"You're going to miss it to-night for one thing, kid," he stated deliberately.
"Oh, am I?" Judith dimpled and glowed.
"We're going to stay out until ten. Vivie's not going." Willard's big sister had chaperoned the expedition the year before. Now it was to go out unrestrained into the night.
"That's lovely."
Willard searched his brain for more overwhelming details.
"We've got a dark lantern."
"That's nice."
"I got it. It's father's. He won't miss it. It's hidden in the Drews' barn. We're going to meet at the Drews, to fool them. They'll be watching the Wards'."