"She'll refuse to play," said Jess.

"Oh, fine, _fine_!" murmured one of the Lockwood twins.

"If we get her mad it will do no good," Nellie Agnew said. "Maybe then she
will insist on being 'the dark lady.'"

The boys were on the corner of Nugent Street waiting for the girls to come
along.

"How goes the battle, Laura?" asked Lance Darby. "Have you learned your
part yet?"

"I thought I had," sighed Laura. "But when I come to take cues and try to
remember the business of the piece, I forget my lines."

"This being leading lady is pretty tough on Mother Wit," laughed Chet.

"Oh, my!" exclaimed Bobby Hargrew suddenly. "Here comes Pretty Sweet in his
car. Why! he's got Lil with him. I thought that was all over."

They gaily hailed the driver of the automobile and his companion as the
vehicle passed. Short and Long, with gloomy face, watched the car out of
sight.

"Well," he growled, "he's got nonskid-chains on his wheels to-day, all
right"

"Chains on his wheels, Billy?" asked Bobby. "What do you mean? Doesn't he