y doze. She awoke to hear the great clock in the hall
strike eleven, and a few minutes afterward she heard Miss Danesbury's
footsteps retiring to her room at the other end of the passage.

"Danesbury is always the last to go to bed," whispered Annie to herself;
"I can get up presently."

She lay for another twenty minutes, then, softly rising, began to put on
her clothes in the dark. Over her dress she fastened her waterproof, and
placed a close-fitting brown velvet cap on her curly head. Having dressed
herself, she approached Susan's bed, with the intention of rousing her.

"I shall have fine work now," she said, "and shall probably have to
resort to cold water. Really, if Susy proves too hard to wake, I shall
let her sleep on--her drowsiness is past bearing."

Annie, however, was considerably startled when she discovered that Miss
Drummond's bed was without an occupant.

At this moment the room door was very softly opened, and Susan, fully
dressed and in her waterproof, came in.

"Why, Susy, where have you been?" exclaimed Annie. "Fancy you being awake
a moment before it is necessary!"

"For once in a way I was restless," replied Miss Drummond, "so I thought
I would get up, and take a turn in the passage outside. The house is
perfectly quiet, and we can come now; most of the girls are already
waiting at the side door."

Holding their shoes in their hands, Annie and Susan went noiselessly down
the carpetless stairs, and found the remaining six girls waiting for them
by the side door.

"Rover is our one last danger now," said Annie, as she fitted the
well-oiled key into the lock. "Put on your shoes, girls, and let me out
first; I think I can manage him."

She was alluding to a great mastiff which was usually kept chained up by
day. Phyllis and Nora laid their hands on her arm.

"Oh, Annie, oh love, suppose he seizes on you, and knocks you down--oh,
dare you venture?"

"Let me go," said Annie a little contemptuously; "you don't suppose I am
afraid?"

Her fingers trembled, for her nerves were highly strung; but she managed
to unlock the door and draw back the bolts, and, opening it softly, she
went out into the silent night.

Very slight as the noise she made was, it had aroused the watchful Rover,
who trotted around swiftly to know what was the matter. But Annie had
made friends with Rover long ago, by stealing to his kennel door and
feeding him, and she had now but to say "Rover" in her melodious voice,