"But we've already done that," interrupted a score of eager voices, and
Billie clapped her hands delightedly.

"Good!" she cried. Then her face sobered again and she looked nervously
toward the door. "I suppose Miss Cora will be along in a minute, and
she'll want to lock me up again. And I suppose she'll be so mad at my
getting away that she won't give me anything to eat now."

But suddenly Rose jumped to her feet, face flushed, eyes shining. This
was her chance to square herself with Billie and all the rest.

"Tell me something, girls," she cried. "Are we going to let Miss Cora
have Billie? Are we?"

"We are not!" they cried lustily; and Billie suddenly saw them through a
mist of tears.

CHAPTER XXIV

THE CAPTURE

The girls expected trouble and they had not long to wait for it. They
had left Billie inside the dormitory, had gone into the hall, closed the
door after them firmly and had defiantly placed themselves before it.

They rather welcomed the sight of Miss Cora, stiff-backed and
stern-lipped, bearing down upon them like a tug of war. They had learned
in their history, that in "union there is strength," and now they were
about to test the truth of it. If one of them felt her courage slipping,
all she had to do was to think of the breakfast they had had that
morning and, presto, it was all back again.

Miss Cora stopped as she came to the foremost girls, and her eyes swept
them coldly.

"What is the meaning of this?" she asked, adding as the girls did not
show any intention of moving: "Let me pass, at once."

Then Rose stepped forward a little and drawled, in the insolent tone
that only Rose knew how to use.

"Where are you going, Miss Dill?"

Miss Cora looked as stunned as if she had been hit on the head with a
hammer. That one of the girls should have the insolence--the absolute
impertinence--to ask her, Miss Cora Dill, where she was going!

Then a hot wave of anger flowed over her, and she found her voice.

"Where I am going has nothing to do with it, whatever," she said, her
voice icy. "I command you to stand away from that door."

Then it was Caroline Brant who spoke in her quiet, calm voice.

"We will be glad to do as you say, Miss Dill," she said, "if you will
promise not to lock Billie Bradley up again."

"Promise--not to lock----?" gasped Miss Cora. Then she turned upon the
girls with blazing eyes. "You are mad--all of you!" she said, her voice
shaking with fury. "I will w