“I didn’t do it,” Hinpoha declared stoutly.

In her distress she did not dare meet Nyoda’s eyes.  What was Nyoda thinking of her, anyhow?

“And so,” continued Mr. Jackson, not heeding her denial, “until you can give a satisfactory explanation of your presence in the electric room last Thursday I must consider that you had something to do with the cutting of those wires.  I have been asked by the Board of Education to look into the matter thoroughly and to punish the culprit with expulsion from school.  As all evidence points to you as the guilty person, I shall be obliged, under the circumstances, to expel you.”

Hinpoha sat as if turned to stone.  The wild beating of her heart almost suffocated her.  Expelled from school!  But even with that terrible sentence ringing in her ears it never entered her head to betray Emily.  If this was to be the price of loyalty, then she would pay the price.  There was no other way.  She had not been clever enough to explain her presence in the electric room to the satisfaction of Mr. Jackson and yet breathe no word of the real situation, and this was the result.  Her head whirled from the sudden calamity which had overwhelmed her; her thoughts were chaos.  She hardly heard when Mr. Jackson said curtly, “You may go.”  As one in a dream she walked out of the office.  Nyoda came out with her.

“Of all things,” said Mr. Wardwell to Mr. Jackson, when they were left alone, “to think that a girl should have done that thing.”

“It seems strange, too,” mused Mr. Jackson, “that she should have been able to do it.  You would hardly look for a girl to be cutting electric wires, would you?  It takes some skill to do that.  Where did she learn how to do it?”

“Those Camp Fire Girls,” said Mr. Wardwell emphatically, “know everything.  I don’t know where they learn it, but they do.”

Nyoda led Hinpoha into one of the empty club rooms and sat down beside her.  “Now, my dear,” she said quietly, “will you please tell me the whole story?  It is absurd of course to accuse you of cutting those wires, but what were you doing in that room?  All you have to do is give a satisfactory explanation and the accusation will be withdrawn.”  Nyoda’s voice was friendly and sympathetic and it was a sore temptation to Hinpoha to tell her the whole thing just as it happened.  But she had promised Emily not to tell a living soul, and a promise was a promise with Hinpoha.

“Nyoda,” she said steadily, “I was in that electric room twice on Thursday afternoon.  I carried something in and I carried it out again.  But I can’t tell you what it was.”

“Not even to save yourself from being expelled?” asked Nyoda curiously.

“Not even to save myself from being expelled,” said Hinpoha steadfastly.