What the vanquished sophomores thought of the trick that had been played on them was a matter for speculation.  Once back in Overton, the truth of the situation had dawned upon them.  Their common sense told them that real ghosts, if there were any, never congregated in companies the size of the one that had risen to haunt them the previous night.  Obviously some one had overheard their plan to picnic at Hunter’s Rock and treated them to an unwelcome surprise.  It did not occur to any one of them until they had returned to their respective houses that they had left J. Elfreda locked in the haunted abode of the two brothers.  Then consternation reigned in each sophomore breast.

Directly after chapel the next morning, eight young women were to be seen in an anxious group just outside the chapel.  Several freshmen and two or three juniors glanced appraisingly at them, then passed on.

“Did you notice the way that Miss Wells looked at me this morning?” muttered Mary Hampton to her satellites.

“Never mind a little thing like that,” snapped Alberta Wicks.  “The question is, where is J. Elfreda?  If she is still shut up in that house we might as well go home now instead of waiting to be sent there.”

“Nonsense, Bert,” scoffed one of the sophomores.  “You are nervous.  We may not be found out.”

“Found out!  J. Elfreda will be raging.  She’ll go straight to the dean, the minute she is free.  Oh, why didn’t we think to run back and let her out in spite of those ridiculous white figures?”

“What made you lock her in there, then, if you were afraid she’d tell?” asked one of the others rather sarcastically.

“Yes, that’s what I say!” exclaimed a second.  “This affair has been very silly from start to finish.  I’m ashamed of myself for having been drawn into it, and in future you may count me out of any more such stunts.”

“You girls don’t understand,” declared Alberta Wicks angrily.  “We only meant to even an old score with the Briggs person.  We were going to call for her on the way home, and tell her that we had evened our score.  She wouldn’t have breathed it to a soul.  She knew that we’d make life miserable for her next year if she did.  She wouldn’t tell a little thing like that, but to leave her there all night.  That really was dreadful.  Mary and I are in for it.  That’s certain.”

“If I’m not mistaken, there goes Miss Briggs now!” exclaimed a girl who had been idly watching the students as they passed out of the chapel.

“Where?  Where?” questioned Mary and Alberta together.

The sophomore pointed.

“Yes; it is J. Elfreda,” almost wailed Alberta Wicks.  “I’m going straight back to Stuart Hall and pack my trunk.  Come on, Mary.”

“Better wait a little,” dryly advised the sophomore who had announced her disapproval of the night’s escapade.  “You may be sorry if you don’t.”

“Good-bye, girls,” said Alberta abruptly.  “If I hear anything, I’ll report to you at once.  Now that J. Elfreda is among us, we’d better steer clear of one another for a while at least.”