" she used the handle as a lever, gave a vigorous jerk, when
away went bolt, window, Marie and all. Down she came with a thud, but,
luckily, on a pile of sweeping cloths, which saved her from harm.

Scrabbling up, she cried: "Never mind, I'm not hurt a bit; now boost me up
again, and let me see what is outside."

She was promptly lifted up, and, poking her saucy head out into the
moonlight, drew in long whiffs of the sweet night air, which was
wonderfully refreshing after the stuffy closet.

"The shed is about ten feet below, girls. If I had anything to lower
myself down with I could easily reach it; I'm almost afraid to let myself
drop, the shed slopes so."

"Hang fast a second while Ruth and I tie the sweeping-cloths together,"
cried May, and quickly catching up the calico covers they began to tie
them together.

"See that you tie them tightly," warned Marie. "I've had one bump already,
and I don't want another."

The cloths were soon ready, and one end handed to her. She fastened it
securely about her waist, and, warning the others to hang on for dear
life, she began to crawl through the narrow opening.

"My goodness, she is just like a monkey," said Pauline. "I never could
have done it in the world," a most superfluous assertion, as no one in the
world would ever have suspected her of being able to.

Away went Marie, vanishing bit by bit from their sight till only her
laughing black eyes, with the soft dark hair above them, were visible in
the moonlight. The girls lowered away slowly, and presently felt the
strain upon the cloths relax.

"She's on the shed! Good!" said Edith, "and now she'll have us out in less
than jig time."

But "many's the slip twixt the--lip and the birthday box," and the girls
began to suspect Marie of treachery to the cause ere they again heard her
voice.

[Illustration: "AWAY WENT MARIE, VANISHING BIT BY BIT."]

Meantime, how fared it with her? Once upon the shed all seemed plain
sailing, but the shed was somewhat like the mountains Moses climbed so
wearily; it gave her a glimpse of the promised land without permitting her
to enter it. The ground was fully sixteen feet below her, and to reach it
without some means other than her own nimble legs was obviously
impossible. The shed was only a small one built out over the kitchen, but
just beyond, with perhaps five feet dividing them, was the end of the
piazza roof, and if she could only reach that she could let herself down
to th