under cover quick!" hissed Tad. "That must be one of 'em!"

Tad and Hans made haste to squeeze in behind the organ, and Frank crept
under the sofa.

"Shimminy Gristmas!" muttered the Dutch lad, "uf id don'd peen britty
tight blace here den I ton't know somedings."

"It is all right," returned Tad, who had obtained a position where he
could peer out. "Keep cool, and let your hair curl."

Pretty soon Nancy fluttered downstairs, and then Frank heard the
high-pitched voice of Professor Jenks in the hall. A moment later, the
widow entered the parlor.

"Oh, dear!" she simpered. "What a surprise this is, dear Mr. Jenks!
Set right down on this chair close to the fire. You must be cold. Let
me take your hat and coat."

"I am rather cold," squeaked the professor, as he peeled off his coat,
and allowed her to take it away with his hat. "It is a chilly night.
You are cozy in here."

The widow was wonderfully and artistically gotten up in a back-number
silk dress, beneath which was an expansive hoop-skirt, while all around
her face were cork-screw curls, meant to be very fetching. As she was
somewhat deaf, although she never acknowledged it, she misunderstood
the professor's last remark.

"Oh, yes," she smiled, coming back and sitting quite close to Jenks,
"no one can hear. We are quite alone."

"Is that so?" gasped the professor, nervously, looking as if he
contemplated flight. "I received your letter."

"You believe I'm better! Why, my dear professor, I haven't bin sick.
You must have been misinformed."

"I didn't say that, Mrs. Cobb. I said that I received----"

At this moment there came another sharp rap on the door, and Professor
Jenks started as if he had been struck.

"Somebody is knocking," he said.

"Rocking?" smiled Nancy. "Then take the rocking-chair. I like to rock
myself pritty well."

"Somebody is knocking--knocking at the door!" cried the professor, in
his high falsetto.

"Oh, somebody knocking. I will see who it is. Mrs. Jones doesn't
always hear 'em. I sometimes think she is ruther hard of hearing."

As she fluttered out of the room, the professor gasped:

"I'm in a perfect sweat already! I'd rather face a battery! I wonder
if she will propose? It's leap year, and she may."

Then he suddenly started to his feet, with an exclamation of surprise
and anger, for he heard Professor Scotch's hoarse voice in the hall.

"Confound it!" exclaimed Jenks. "What's brought him here t