concern in her eyes.

"Young ladies, I am amazed," exclaimed the guardian. "Miss Kidder, what is
the meaning of this?"

"I don't know. Patricia had some difficulty with one of these girls," was
the reply.

"She jumped on me," answered Patricia. "I don't know what for, but she
knocked the breath right out of me."

"You are the new girls, are you not?" asked the guardian, turning abruptly
to Harriet and Grace.

"Yes, we are the Meadow-Brook Girls," answered Harriet.

"What appears to be the trouble?"

"Something startled my friend. What was it, Grace, dear?"

"Thome--thomething growled perfectly awful. It wath right by the head of
my bed. It thounded like a wild animal," explained Grace wide-eyed. "Yeth,
and I could hear it'th teeth thnap. It wath going to bite me."

"Nonsense, child. You were dreaming. Did you have a late supper?"

"We ate supper, after midnight," explained Harriet.

"That accounts for it. Get back into bed, at once, girls. I am Miss
Partridge, your guardian."