“Come in,” called Hilary, running out to the sitting-room door. Half a dozen girls came in. “Welcome, merry sunshine!” said Hilary with her best bow. “You look like a church committee. What does this mean?” “Council of war,” answered Eloise, her eyes flashing. “Do you want to join?” “Mercy!” said Cathalina appearing in the door. “What side are you on, Germany or the Allies?” “No need to ask, under this flag,” and Eloise struck an attitude, pointing to Old Glory floating from the flag pole on the front of the campus. “But whatever we are we are on the war path! Little children are safe, however, so don’t worry.” (These were the days of the first shocks and surprises of the World War.) “How are you getting along, Cathalina,” asked Lilian, who knew how Cathalina felt about going to recitation. “Fine,” answered Cathalina. “After my first recitation, which I came through whole, in spite of Dr. Carver, I haven’t minded anything.” “That is right to the point,” said Grace. “It has occurred to us that we might do something to improve her state of mind a little, as it were.” “Humph!” Diane exclaimed. “I’m clear mad through and through! Just her air is enough, before she gets off any of that brilliant sarcasm! I declare war here and now!” Hilary looked distressed. “I’m afraid it isn’t right, girls, to feel that way, though I will admit she’s the worst I ever saw. What _is_ the matter? Has she been here long?” “No indeed! This is her first year and I hope her last. You ought to have heard her in Virgil today. What did you think of the way she talked to me, Eloise?” “I was mad for you; I just wanted to go right up and slap that woman!” “Look out, Eloise, your eyes will light the gas!” Eloise laughed but kept on. “Diane had a good lesson. All of us had been working our heads off. Any Latin is bad enough, but poetry! You couldn’t find a subject _to_ some of the sentences, you know. Well, I guess Dr. Carver wanted to show off how much she knew instead of helping us, so she picked out something—I’ve forgotten what it was,—and made so much to do about it, and ridiculed Diane and told her it was a pity she hadn’t learned that in first year Latin, as if we can remember every old gender or form!” “I know I’m going to like Latin,” said Cathalina, “but how I’m going to like _her_ even a little bit is more than I can see. But I suppose you don’t absolutely have to like all your teachers, do you?” “It makes it much nicer,” said Hilary, “and I suppose teachers do have a hard life!” The girls laughed at Hilary’s serious tone. “Never mind, Hilary,—you’re a preacher’s daughter, so we won’t ask you to do anything. We aren’t going to do much ourselves, only stir her up a little and have some fun. Promise, now, girls, that you won’t tell, or be surprised at anything, or give anybody a hint?” “Never!” promised both Hilary and Cathalina, smiling broadly. “Then watch and wait for developments!” and the six girls filed out.