two freshmen,
timid but much flattered by Polly's cordial invitation, knocked on the
door.

"Come in," called Polly in her natural voice, and once unsuspectingly
inside, they were pounced upon by the army of ghosts, and escorted to
seats as far as possible from the door. The other guests luckily arrived
in a body headed by Georgia Ames, who, having come into the house only
the day before, was already an important personage in the eyes of her
classmates. What girl wouldn't be who called Betty Wales by her first
name, and wasn't one bit afraid to "talk back" to the clever Miss Ayres?

Georgia's attitude of amused tolerance therefore set the tone for the
freshmen's behavior. "Don't you see that it's some sophomore joke?" she
demanded. "Might as well let the poor creatures get as much fun out of
us as they can, and then perhaps they'll give us something good to eat
by and by."

"We'll give you something right away," squeaked a ghost. "Georgia Ames
and Miss Ashton, stand forth. Now kneel down, shut your eyes and open
your mouths."

"Don't do it. It will be some horrid, peppery mess," advised a
sour-tempered freshman named Butts.

But Georgia and her companion stood bravely forth, to be rewarded by two
delicious mouthfuls of Madeline's French chocolate. After this pleasant
surprise, the freshmen, all but Miss Butts and one or two more, grew
more cheerful and began to enter into the spirit of the occasion.

"Josephine Boyd, you are elected to scramble like an egg," announced a
tall ghost.

Josephine's performance was so realistic that it evoked peals of
laughter from ghosts and freshmen alike.

"We'll recommend you for a part in the next menagerie that the house or
the college has," said the tall ghost, who seemed to be mistress of
ceremonies. "The Dutton twins are now commanded to push matches across
the floor with their noses. You'll find the matches on the table by the
window. Somebody tie their hands behind them. Now start at the door and
go straight across to Georgia Ames's chair. The one that wins the race
must send Polly some flowers," added the tall ghost maliciously as the
twins, blushing violently at this barefaced reference to their rivalry
for Polly's affections, took their matches, and at Georgia's signaled
"One, two, three, go!" began their race.

Pushing a match across a slippery floor with one's nose looked so easy
and proved so difficult that both ghosts and freshmen, as they cheered
on the eager