here was a movement among the other girls at this, a craning of
necks and some smothered exclamations. Mrs. Livingston was very
businesslike and courteous. Patricia's dark face wore a slight pallor as
she walked forward and faced the Guardian.

"Miss Scott, you and Miss Kidder occupy the same tent with the two girls
who have just given their evidence. Did you hear any unusual noises in the
tent last evening?"

"Yes, I did, Mrs. Livingston."

"Explain what you heard?"

"I don't know that I can explain it clearly. At first I thought I heard
the shuffle of feet on the floor. I was very tired and sleepy. I recall
that I partly roused myself. I thought I heard some one speak in a low
tone, but supposing it was in the next tent I dropped back to sleep again.
I did not hear another sound until the general alarm was sounded on the
bell."

"You hurried out without knowing that your two tentmates were missing?"

"No, I did not know about it then. I did not know until I saw them out
there in the woods."

"Thank you. That will be all."

Cora Kidder was next called upon to testify. She was very pale and plainly
nervous. She realized that having slept in the same tent with two of the
Meadow-Brook Girls, a certain amount of suspicion would be attached to her
not knowing anything about the exciting occurrence of the previous night
in her tent. In answer to the first question which was the same as had
been put to Patricia, Miss Kidder said:

"I did not wake up, Mrs. Livingston. I--I may have heard something, but if
so I--I don't remember anything about it now."

"You must be a sound sleeper," observed the Chief Guardian.

"I have been since coming to Camp Wau-Wau. I'm just 'dead,' the moment I
get into bed. I was hardly awake when I stumbled out of the tent in
response to the general alarm last night calling us all out. I fell over a
tent rope and that woke me up a little."

Tommy laughed, but fortunately the examiner did not hear her. Harriet
nudged Grace to warn her to be quiet.

"You have no idea that would give you any clue to the perpetrators of this
affair?"

"No, Mrs. Livingston."

"Is there any other person among the girls who has anything to say or who
can give us any information?"

The silence was tense. The Chief Guardian's eyes traveled slowly over the
group before her. No one answered.

"That will be sufficient, Miss Kidder. The guardians will please join me
for consultation."

The Wau-Wau Girls spen