ook ahead the "years and
years" Jennie had spoken of, how amazed she would have been to see two
figures--identical with her own and Bob's--walking here in the twilight!

But girls of the age of Nancy Nelson and Jennie Bruce are usually much
too hearty of appetite, and wholesome of being, to be romantic--for long
at a time, anyway.

The chums were as wild as hares that summer. They ran free in the woods,
and went fishing with Jennie's brothers, and "camped out" over night on
the edge of the pond, and learned all manner of trick swimming,
including the removal of some of their outer clothing in the water.

"We're not going to be caught again as we were there in Clinton River,
when our boat sank," declared Nancy, and Jennie agreed.

When they went back to Pinewood Hall they were as brown as Indians, and
as strong and wiry as wolves. Miss Etching complimented them on the good
the summer seemed to have done them.

Now came the time when Nancy Nelson and her chum "went higher" in more
ways than one. They were full-fledged juniors, and they had to give up
old Number 30, West Side, which they both loved, to incoming freshies.

They drew Number 83--a lovely room, much larger than their old one and
more sumptuously furnished. It had a double door, too, and the walls
were almost sound-proof.

"What a lovely room to study in!" cried Nancy.

"And a great one to hold 'orgies' in," whispered Jennie, her eyes
twinkling.

So they determined, a week after school opened, to have "a
house-warming." Nancy had a good part of her spending money, given to
her by Mr. Gordon during vacation, left in her purse. They invited
twenty of their closest friends of the junior class and, as Jennie
expressed it, "just laid themselves out" for a fine spread.

There was to be fudge, too, which Nancy had the knack of making. The
chums had a chafing dish hidden away, and this was brought forth and the
ingredients made ready, while Nancy hovered over the dish like a
gray-robed witch.

"Do you know what Cora Rathmore said?" chattered one of the visitors.

"Everything but her prayers!" declared Jennie, with sarcasm.

"No, no! about this racket to-night."

"Didn't know she knew we were going to have a house-warming," said
Jennie, looking up quickly. "I hope not!"

"She _does_ know," said another girl.

"Then somebody must have told," declared Nancy, warmly. "We tried to
keep it very quiet."

"And from Cora, too!" said Jennie, shaking her head