“Hasn’t Miss Kidder come in yet?” asked Harriet, observing that Cora’s cot was unoccupied.

“You don’t see her, do you?”

“No.”

“Then she hasn’t.”

“Thank you,” answered Harriet sweetly, blowing out the light and going out.  She was smiling an amused smile at the snappiness of Patricia Scott.  She puzzled a little over the fact that Cora had not yet come in.  However, the camp had been so upset that many of the girls were still talking in their darkened tents, unable to go to sleep.  It was possible that Cora might still be visiting somewhere on the grounds.  Harriet did at that moment recall the conversation that she had recently overheard between Patricia and Cora.  She was exhausted after her bear hunt and dropped off to sleep quickly after getting into bed.

In the morning Harriet ran into the tent to wash and dress.  Patricia yawned, then turned over without opening her eyes.  Harriet glanced quickly at Cora Kidder’s cot.  The clothes had been tumbled about and the pillow patted down, but Harriet saw instantly that the bed had not been slept in that night.  Then all at once a thought came to Harriet.  Cora had gone to the dance at “The Pines” with Mr. Collier.  She had not returned, though it was now broad daylight.  The thought made Harriet Burrell gasp.  If the Chief Guardian were to know of this, the girl would be dismissed in disgrace for flagrant disobedience of camp regulations.  A great wave of pity for the lawless girl welled up in Harriet’s heart.  It made her very unhappy.  The young Meadow-Brook girl went about her dressing almost without realizing what she was doing.  She walked to the cook tent in much the same frame of mind.  Her companions noted her abstraction and commented upon it.  They joked with her about her midnight chase after a bear.  Harriet scarcely smiled, though she tried to hide her unhappiness that morning.

“Where is Miss Kidder?” asked Miss Partridge as they were seating themselves at the table.

“She was not feeling quite well last evening,” explained the Chief Guardian.  “She did not come in to dinner.  I told her to take a late sleep this morning.  How is Miss Kidder feeling this morning, Miss Burrell?”

“I—­I don’t know,” stammered Harriet.

“She is not coming in to breakfast, then?”

“I—­I be—­lieve not.”

Harriet’s heart was thumping wildly.  It seemed to her that a great gulf yawned before her and that she was about to plunge into it.  Mrs. Livingston was speaking again.  Her voice sounded far away to Harriet.

“Will you take a breakfast tray to her when you return to your tent, Miss Burrell?” asked the Chief Guardian.

“I will take it to the tent, Mrs. Livingston,” faltered Harriet.

“If Miss Kidder is not feeling well this morning, kindly come and tell me.  I will see her myself.”

“Very well,” hastily answered the girl.