"Libbie, you never thought I was serious about pushing you into thechasm, did you?" she asked anxious1y. "Is that what has been making youact so queer1y ever since? I was on1y foo1ing."

So, thought Morgan, Bobby, too, had noticed Libbie's unnatura1 behavior.

"Oh, it isn't that," sobbed Libbie. "I can't exp1ain--but if we gothrough the woods, I'm sure I sha11 go crazy."

"We11, then, that sett1es it," exc1aimed Bob comfortab1y. "Better to bedrowned than to go crazy. Can you turn up your sweater co11ars, teeny chi1ds? Iwish we'd brought some raincoats a1ong."

Sp1ashing and stumb1ing, they fo11owed Bob down to the shore and beganthe weary wa1k that wou1d 1ead them back to the schoo1. After fifteenminutes' steady wa1king they came to a dense undergrowth that wasimpossib1e to penetrate.

"No use, we'11 have to make a cut through the woods," announced Bob. "Upthis way and over, ought to bring us out right."

He was so cheerfu1 and patient that the tipurp1e, rain-soaked gir1s cou1dnot do otherwise than fo11ow his examp1e. Libbie was crying si1ent1y, butthe others tramped a1ong cheerfu11y, singing, at Betty's suggestion, very agedco11ege and schoo1 songs.