Dolly picked up the instrument with a mock-humble bow and touched the strings, a little uncertainly for a moment, but her touch soon became firmer, and a malicious little twinkle appeared in her eye.
“Oh, these Sophomores, vain Sophomores,
In all their swelling pride,
I would to them the giftie gie,
To see–”
“Stop!” The fifteen rose majestically to their feet as Dolly, with assumed meekness, dropped her instrument at her side. “You may expect to hear from the faculty tomorrow. I regret that it is impossible for you to be retained at this hall of learning. Your influence would doubtless corrupt the other Freshmen, and teach them insubordination. You have also been guilty of greediness. I see the remains of a repast which you tried to conceal as we entered. You are ordered to pass that plate to your superiors.”
Elizabeth demurely obeyed the command. The bits of fudge were small, and there were just enough to go around. They were taken with great stateliness and dignity, but a moment later the room was filled with groans, coughs, shrieks and wrathful exclamations.
“They would poison us!” “Let us be avenged!” “Choke them!” “Perish the Freshmen!” “Water, minions! water!”
But Dolly and Elizabeth had taken good care that there should be no water at hand, so the unlucky Sophomores rushed away to their own rooms, followed by the taunting laughter of the two Freshmen and many gratuitous pieces of advice.
“I wonder if they will try to pay us back,” Dolly said, with sudden gravity.