tle pond."

"It's bigger than it looks," said Betty, "and there is the mist, too, to
confuse her."

"I hadn't thought of that. Does she know how to manage a boat?"

"Yes, capitally," said Betty in so frightened a voice that Katherine
dropped the subject.

"She's lost up stream somewhere and afraid to move for fear of hitting a
rock," she said easily. "Or perhaps she's right out in the pond by the
boat-house and doesn't dare to cross because she might go too far down
toward the dam. We can find her all right, I guess."

"Then you'll come?" said Betty eagerly.

"Why, of course. You weren't thinking of going alone, were you?"

"I thought maybe you'd think it was silly for any one to go. I suppose
she might be at one of the campus houses."

"She might, but I doubt it," said Katherine. "She was painfully intent
on solitude when she left here. Now don't fuss too long about dressing."

Without a word Betty sped off to her room. She was just pulling a
rain-coat over a very meagre toilet when Katherine put her head in at
the door. "Bring matches," she said in a sepulchral whisper. Betty
emptied the contents of her match-box into her ulster pocket, threw a
cape over her arm for Eleanor, and followed Katherine cat-footed down
the stairs. In the lower hall they stopped for a brief consultation.

"Ought we to tell Mrs. Chapin?" asked Betty doubtfully.

"Eleanor will hate us forever if we do," said Katherine, "and I don't
see any special advantage in it. If we don't find her, Mrs. Chapin
can't. We might tell Rachel though, in case we were missed."

"Or we might leave a note where she would find it," suggested Betty.
"Then if we weren't missed no one need know."

"All right. You can go more quietly; I'll wait here." Katherine sank
down on the lowest stair, while Betty flew back to scribble a note which
she laid on Rachel's pillow. Then the relief expedition started.

It was very strange being out so late. Before ten o'clock a girl may go
anywhere in Harding, but after ten the streets are deserted and
dreadful. Betty shivered and clung close to Katherine, who marched
boldly along, declaring that it was much nicer outdoors than in, and
that midnight was certainly the top of the evening for a walk.

"And if we find her way up the river we can all camp out for the night,"
she suggested jovially.

"But if we don't find her?"

Katherine, who had noticed Betty's growing nervousness, refused to
entertain the possibility.