"Why, who is it?" she cried, in a repressed but startled tone. "Sh! sh! keep mum!" was the warning response as the figure drew near her. "Jennie!" Katherine whispered, amazed, "what are you doing here at this unearthly hour of the night?" "Hush! don't give me away for the world," said the girl, laying a nervous hand upon her arm. "There's something going on in yonder-- it's the fun I told you about a while ago. I'm not in the plot, but I'm bound to be in at the finish, for it's going to be a hot time, I can tell you." "Really, dear, you are better out of it altogether," Katherine gravely returned. "You know what we were talking of yesterday, about breaking rules and spoiling one's record." "Aren't you breaking rules, too?" retorted Jennie, aggressively. "No; I have just come from Miss Reynolds' room." "Well, I'm going to see this through, now I've started in. I've had to pinch and pound myself for the last two hours, though, to keep awake, and I'm not going to miss the 'racket' after all that bother," declared the girl, clinging tenaciously to her purpose. "Hark!" she added, a moment later, in a startled whisper, as a titter of irrepressible mirth was borne to their ears from somewhere beyond them. It seemed to proceed from the landing at the head of the stairs which led to the second story, but was quickly suppressed and all was still again. "Well," said Katharine, after listening a. moment, "I must go on to my room, and my advice to you, Jennie, is to return at once to yours. Good-night," and, leaving the willful "racket"-lover to her fate, she stole softly away. She paused at the foot of the stairs to listen again, when the swish of garments fell on her ear, then a voice, which she immediately recognized, whispered: "Be sure you tie your end tight, Carrie." Katherine moved lightly up a step or two and heard the answer: "I have; now, Rose, scud up to the next floor and give the signal, while I go for my cymbals," and a smothered laugh followed. Again there was a rustle of garments and the soft slipping of unshod feet over the upper flight of stairs, while Katherine as noiselessly sped over the lower one. On reaching the landing she looked about her to ascertain, if possible, what mischief was brewing. The hall was very dimly lighted by a window at each end, and, as the moon had not yet got around to that quarter, it was almost impossible to discern anything; but, lower down the hall, she thought she could detect two lines, stretched across from opposite doors, about three feet from the floor. Not wishing to get involved in the prospective mischief, and as her room was just at the head of the stairs, she softly turned the handle of the door and slipped inside. Scarcely a minute elapsed after she had closed and locked it, when there came a deafening crash and bang, mingled with the blowing of whistles, horns and combs, that seemed sufficient to awaken the "Seven Sleepers" in their cavern of refuge.