am, do you? Not much," said Lou Perry.

"Why, if Miss Preston wanted it it would be different, you see," answered
Toinette.

"No, it wouldn't, either. Miss Preston never bothers with the housekeeping
or the housekeeper, although she is always just as lovely to her as she
can be--she is to everybody, for that matter."

"For my part, I'm glad she found it out," laughed Cicely, "but if I'd
suspected beforehand that she would, wild horses wouldn't have dragged me
into that laundry. It's pretty easy not to be afraid of such a teacher;
she seems just like one of us. Wasn't she too funny with that big spoon
and the red mask?"

"Are all the other teachers so quick to 'catch on?'" asked Toinette.

"Most of them are sharp as two sticks," replied Ethel, "but they never let
on. There is only one who makes the boast that she has never been deceived
by any girl, and we've all been just wild to play her some trick, only
we've never yet hit upon a really good one."

"You ought to get Toinette to do the scene from 'Somnambula,'" said
Cicely, laughing.

"What is it? What is it? What is it?" cried a half-dozen voices.

"The funniest thing you ever saw in all your born days," said Cicely.

"Oh, tell us about it; please, do," begged the girls.

"Let her do it for you; it will be ten times funnier than telling it."

"When will you do it?"

"To-night, if I can manage it; it will be a good time after last night's
cut-up."

CHAPTER XI

"LA SOMNAMBULA"

When the bell for retiring rang at half-past nine that night, it produced
a most remarkable effect, for, instead of suggesting snug beds and
dream-land, it seemed instantly to banish any desire for sleep which the
previous study hour from eight to nine had aroused in several of the
girls.

They all went to their rooms, to be sure, but once within them a startling
change took place. Instead of undressing like wise young people, they
slipped off their dresses, and put on their night-dresses over the rest of
their clothing, then all crawled into bed to await the first act of "La
Somnambula."

They had barely gotten settled when footsteps were heard coming softly
down the corridor, as though the feet taking the steps were encased in
wool slippers, and the owner of those feet wished to avoid being heard. A
few steps were taken, then a pause made to listen, then on went the
cat-like tread from door to door.

Toinette's and Cicely's rooms communicated, and just beyond, wit