“Hurry!  Hurry!” she prompted, “we must account for this little race.  There’s Judy.  Run on ahead and tell anyone you meet—­tell them we’re coming,” she ended foolishly to Bobbie.  “Your turn to think.”

“Tell them we had a race, and with a good handicap, Kitten won,” suggested Bobbie, responding quickly to Jane’s suggestion.

“But what about all our things?  Our hats and coats?” demurred the real Shirley.

“They’ll be too interested to notice that detail,” said Jane.  “I’m so happy, happy, happy!  Run along Firefly—­there’s Jim waiting.  Now, come girls, after we deliver Firefly to his keeper we are going right up to the hall—­Judy!  Judy!” she broke off, for Judith evidently had not seen them come in the gate.  “Over here Judy!” she shouted again, and this time Judy responded.

She rushed up to the culprits and likewise confronted Jane.

“Don’t you three dare to deceive me!” she stormed with good nature sufficient to hide the girl’s evident embarassment.  “Where have you been and what have you been doing?”

“I wouldn’t attempt to deceive you Judith,” said Bobbie bravely, “we were running away!”

“Why?” the question was put seriously.

“Because we have both been deceiving you all, and no matter how generous you two friends try to be, I am at least going to set that matter straight before the whole college.  I am Sarah Howland and this is Shirley Duncan.”  She placed her hand on little Shirley’s arm.

Judith was dumfounded!  They expected she would be, naturally, but she now stood there speechless.

“Be a good sport Judy,” urged Jane, “and help us stage a real happy ending.  Don’t you want to jump on Firefly and ride him over to the stable?”

“I don’t.  Why has Shirley become Bobbie?”

Jane wanted to laugh, but Bobbie’s face was very serious, and Shirley’s lip was quivering.  Jane released her horse and watched him canter over to the stable.

“We’ll all be late for tea, but never mind,” she said.  “Let us tell Judy all about it.  She’ll die of curiosity if we don’t.  Look at her poor face.”

“Jane Allen if I knew a big secret I’d tell you,” declared the abused one.

“Here’s a seat; there, now listen,” began Jane.  “Shirley Duncan exchanged places on the scholarship certificate with Sally Howland, that’s Bobbie, because Sally couldn’t get in otherwise, and Shirley--”

“Needed the money,” confessed Shirley, insisting on having a part in the confession.

“But it was for her brother Ted, you know,” interrupted Bobbie loyally.

“Is that Teddy your brother?  And Bobbie you blushed so when you danced with him, and I accused you—­” It was Judith’s turn to talk quickly now, and she made good use of the opportunity.

Finally something like order was restored.

“You must help us Judy—­” pleaded Jane.  “I insisted the girls should come right along and simply tell their story frankly to Deanie.  You know how splendidly she came to the rescue of our friends last year.”