t the tears.

The cream-cakes were fine, and the girls were laughing softly over
Betty's remark that no one knew of their little "party," when a knock
upon the door caused Valerie to drop her cream-cake. In an instant she
had rolled over, crawled under the bed, Betty following, while Vera and
Elf sprang into bed, drawing the coverings to their chins to hide that
they were fully dressed. It was one of Miss Fenler's rules that pupils
should never lock their doors.

Now in a harsh voice she called: "Open this door _at once_!"

Vera sprang to the floor, shut off the gas, softly turned the key in the
lock, and was back in bed and covered up to her eyes, in a second.

Upon opening the door, Miss Fenler stumbled into the blanket that hung
from the door-frame. Crossing the room to light the gas, she put her
right foot directly upon a cream-cake, while with her left she upset the
can of stew.

An angry exclamation, properly stifled, caused the two under the bed to
nudge each other, while struggling not to laugh.

Vera and Elf lay quite still, the puff drawn up to their closely shut
eyes.

Miss Fenler lit the gas, and it was just as well that the culprits dared
not open their eyes, for the face that she turned toward them was not
pleasant to see.

She was desperately angry.

"What does this mean?" she cried shrilly.

Vera and Elf breathed heavily, as if soundly sleeping.

"You're not asleep!" she declared, "and I insist that you answer me.
Again I ask, what does this mean?"

Vera and Elf breathed harder than before, Vera adding a soft little
snore.

"Oh, very well!" cried Miss Fenler. "If you are determined not to reply
to-night, I will report you to Mrs. Marvin, and you may make your
explanations to her to-morrow."

She left the room, her anger increased by their obstinate pretense of
slumber.

CHAPTER IV

A WONDERFUL TONIC

Vera awoke long before daylight, and lay thinking.

"That's just the way I do things," she said in a voice barely above a
whisper.

"I plan the fun, and always have a good time, that is '_most_' always,
but it's sure to wind up in a scrape. I plan how to get into mischief.
Why don't I ever plan how to get out?"

Elf stirred uneasily, and Vera gave her shoulder a vigorous shake.

"Wake up!" she commanded. "Wake up, and help me plan what we'd better
say when we have to face Mrs. Marvin."

"Oh, I'm sleepy," drawled Elf. "We're smart enough to say something when
she stares