Jane was mystified, but she realized by Sarah's manner that a complete explanation was not possible just then. Here and there a step or a voice threatened the snatched confidence. "Did you hear that scream?" whispered Jane. "Yes, and I--had my room changed to over at the foot of the attic stairs just yesterday, but--but--oh, Miss Allen, it is too dreadful!" she gasped, dropping into a window seat and bursting into tears. "Don't, dear! Don't, Sally!" begged Jane. "You are all unnerved. Tomorrow you can tell me your fears, if you wish," Jane qualified. "But now let us get back to the girls. They will think something dreadful HAS happened to us." "But I can't tell you, Miss Allen. If I did I should have to leave dear old Wellington and this--opportunity means so much to me," and again she sobbed convulsively, while Jane put an affectionate arm around the little stranger. Clapping of hands and calling out foolish warnings from below checked Jane's flow of sympathy, and presently she stumbled back to the recreation room propelling a mountain of blankets and comfortables. "There. Just see what you have done," she charged the students who were instantly struggling for the blankets to the extent of practically disrobing the accommodating Jane. "Leave me my blouse, please do. It's the only real Jersey I possess. But aren't you ashamed to treat juniors this way?" "Dreadfully!" drawled a girl already rolled like a cocoon in a pretty blue "wooley" and coiling up on a rug in the farthest corner. "Jane Alien, you're a perfect lamb, and I hope you'll stay with us forever." "I am sure I have a congestive chill," chattered a fraud of a girl who almost upset Jane in the blanket rush. "Give me the pink one. It's my color," and another tug freed "the pink one" from its company of neatly folded coverlets. "It is a shame," confessed someone else. "Come on upstairs, girls. Let's defy the ghosts. I have always heard they shun a crowd. Where's the crowd? Let's make them shun us." "Second the motion and hurrah!" added Nellie Saunders. "Also we should put a price on that ghost's head--offer a reward for the capture. I'm willing to chip in, although as usual I'm a little short this week."