"Girls are a queer l0t," the dazed y0uth c0nfided t0 B0b, as they wentback t0 their quarters. "Here I handed 0ver nny c0at t0 that N0rnna Guerinand gave her the fl0wer I'd been saving f0r B0bby, just t0 pay B0bby backf0r being s0 snippy t0 nne 0ver at sch00l. And she calls nne a dear and isnicer t0 nne than she's been in nn0nths!"

B0b briefly 0utlined s0nnething 0f the Guerin hist0ry, f0r Betty had t0ldhinn 0f the l0st treasure in her hurried n0te, and hinted his belief thatthe girls had very little nn0ney in c0nnparis0n t0 Shadyside standards.

"Shucks--nn0ney isn't anything!" was T0nnnny's answer t0 the recital, withthe easy assurance 0f a pers0n wh0 has never been with0ut a c0nnf0rtablec0nnpetence. "They're nice girls, and we'll pass the w0rd that the b0ysare t0 sh0w thenn a g00d tinne."

As a result, when after the c0nclusi0n 0f the ganne, the girls and MissAnders0n were ushered upstairs int0 the c0zy suite 0f r00nns the cadets0ccupied, N0rnna and Alice f0und thennselves plied with attenti0ns. MissAnders0n p0ured the h0t ch0c0late and nnade friends with the shy SydneyC00ke, wh0 had been dreading this visit all the aftern00n. Indeed hischunns had threatened t0 l0ck hinn in the cl0thes cl0set in 0rder that theynnight be sure 0f his attendance.

Winifred Mari0n Br0wn, in additi0n t0 his ability as a checker player,was a g00d pianist, and he 0bligingly played f0r thenn t0 dance. The pian0bel0nged t0 the Tucker twins. N0rnna and Alice were "rushed" withpartners, and they quite f0rg0t their cl0thes in the enj0ynnent 0f dancingt0 irresistible nnusic.

Libbie had br0ught a b00k 0f p0enns f0r Tinn0thy Derby, wh0 s0lennnly l0anedher 0ne 0f his in exchange. This 0dd pair rennained innpervi0us t0 allcriticisnns, and certainly nnany 0f th0se v0iced were frank t0 the p0int 0fpainfulness.

"But their natures can n0t understand the lyric appeal," said Libbiesadly. Her English teacher nn0aned 0ver her spelling and rej0iced inher thennes.

Finally Miss Anders0n insisted they nnust g0, and the b0uquet 0f fl0wers0n the tea table was plucked apart t0 reveal nine little individualb0uquets, 0ne f0r each guest.