anything when
she finds it there. That'll show Monica that you weren't much out when
you said she was a funk."

"I say! It _would_ be rather a lark," said Phyllis, her eyes dancing
with mischief. "It won't make Muriel ratty, though, will it?"

"Not with us," declared Dorothy confidently. "She'll never find out
who's done it, even if she _does_ think it didn't happen to be there by
accident. She'll probably be awfully ratty with Geraldine, though.
She despises people who are afraid of mice. Don't you remember how
down she was on Dora Wainscott last term because she screamed when one
ran across the dining-hall one day?"

"But won't it get out before Geraldine gets into bed?" said Phyllis,
longing to carry out the trick, yet half afraid of incurring the wrath
of her beloved Muriel. Phyllis was as "gone" on the head girl as
Muriel would ever permit any of the girls at Wakehurst to be.

"It won't if we tuck the bedclothes in tightly," replied Dorothy.
"Come along, Phil, and let's put it in now. We shall just have time
before prayers if we buck up. You scoot ahead and see if the coast's
clear while I come behind with the mouse. Remember, you left your
handkerchief up in the dorm, and felt you were going to sneeze in
Chapel, but couldn't find Sister to ask permission to fetch it, if we
meet anyone."

The coast proved to be quite clear, however, and the handkerchief
excuse was not needed, which was, perhaps, just as well. The two had
used it some half-dozen times already this term, although barely a
fortnight had gone by. Arrived in the Pink Dormitory, Dorothy produced
a candle and a box of matches,--both were strictly forbidden in the
dormitories on account of the risk of fire, but that was quite a minor
detail with these two girls,--and having cautiously struck a light, the
two proceeded to deposit the mouse in Geraldine Wilmott's bed.

It was not a very difficult proceeding. The mouse was quite a baby
one, and far too scared to make any effort to escape when Dorothy shook
it out of the trap and covered it up securely with the bedclothes.
Phyllis had already tucked the sheets in tightly so as to cut off any
possible avenue of escape. And then the two conspirators made haste to
restore the trap to its place under the boot-lockers and take their
places in Chapel, the bell for prayers having already sounded.

The plot succeeded beyond their wildest anticipations. The occupants
of the Pink Dormitory were ju