ered Marjorie;
"remember?"

"Yes, wasn't that ridiculous? But you know this is really clever. Oh,
look at these!"

Eight masqueraders, all dressed as women and representing various
characters from Queen Elizabeth to Florence Nightingale, came in,
walking rather awkwardly, as if hampered by their skirts.

"But who can they be?"

"There are too many of them!" laughed Lily; "wouldn't you say that there
were more than fifteen of us here now?"

Lily made an effort to count, but the guests moved so constantly that
the act was almost impossible. However, when seven more masqueraders
arrived in a group, the girls' suspicions were confirmed. Miss Phillips
must have invited outsiders! Perhaps she even knew the marks, and from
them was able to ascertain which girls would be Girl Scouts, and
wishing to surprise the troop, had secretly invited them.

The riddle was too much for them; Lily gave it up, and returned to the
fun of acting the part of lover to Marjorie. She was just putting her
arm affectionately about her room-mate, when the trained nurse, who was
supposed to represent Florence Nightingale, approached, and, in a very
squeaky, obviously disguised voice, said,

"I'm jealous, young man. Won't you please kiss me?"

Lily laughingly leaned toward the intruder and was about to grant the
request, when her eyes fell upon the nurse's hand. It could not belong
to a girl!

"Who are you?" she demanded indignantly.

"Florence Nightingale!"

Lily stamped her foot impatiently. "No, I mean in real life!"

The other raised the mask obediently, and to the girls' astonishment,
revealed himself as Dick Roberts!

"The Boy Scouts!" cried Lily, out loud, and the news spread like wild
fire.

The guessing began, and the votes were taken. After a few moments, the
prize was awarded to General Pershing--a girl, evidently--who was
dressed in a real Army uniform, adorned with many medals and campaign
bars. Across the front, on a white ribbon, she wore, to the amusement of
everyone, these letters:

"COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF!"

That, and her mustache, made a mistake impossible.

But no one guessed her identity, until Marjorie noticing her hands,
exclaimed,

"Ruth Henry!" and the victor laughingly unmasked.

It was another triumph for Ruth!

Miss Phillips called for the boys to volunteer to carry in the tubs of
water filled with apples, and as Marjorie watched the proceeding a
homesick feeling stole over her. John Hadley was no long