"Then you think someone is really trying to injure the Dean?" Phyllis asked.
"It looks like it," Gale said.
She crossed to the window. Her studies were forgotten; the open textbook on her desk no longer mattered.
"Heavenly night, Phyl," she murmured.
From the campus below floated a chorus of voices. The Seniors were singing their sorority song:
"Secure in love and laughter,
Our voices blend on high,
We link our hands in friendship,
The girls of Omega Chi."
"So far so good," Phyllis said, putting her arm around Gale and leaning with her on the windowsill.
"What? The song?" Gale asked.
"No," Phyllis replied. "I mean us. We've been here three weeks now and like it more every day. At least I do."
"Let's go and see Janet and Carol," Gale suggested mischievously.
"It is study hour," Phyllis reminded her. "Freshmen are supposed to slave over their books. We are to remain indoors."
Then she added with twinkling eyes, "How shall we get out? By the back door?"
Gale switched off the light.
On tiptoe, the girls moved to the rear stairs.
Silent as shadows, they descended to the ground.
Outside, they paused in the darkness beside the building, waiting for the Seniors to move away.
When the coast was clear, they slipped off across the campus.
They hurried toward the dormitory where Janet and Carol stayed.
But another problem arose.
"How will we get in?" Phyllis whispered.
Two Junior girls sat on the front steps, blocking the entrance.
Gale pointed toward a trellis recently cleared of dried vines.
"Acrobats, eh?" Phyllis giggled.
"Well, why not? We used to climb ropes in gym. I guess we can manage that."
Halfway up, she added in a stage whisper:
"Good thing they don't live on the fourth floor."
Inside, Carol and Janet were bent over their books.
Suddenly, Carol glanced toward the window.
A head slowly appeared.
"Help! Burglars!" she screamed.
"Shh!" Phyllis laughed. "It's only us."
"Such hospitality," Gale said dryly as she climbed in after her.
"You should at least provide a stepladder for guests."
"Our guests don't usually enter through windows," Janet replied.
Then she brightened.
"Am I glad to see you! I was about to burst from biology cramming."
"I don't see how she does it," Carol added. "Bugs, bugs—"
"Speaking of bugs," Janet interrupted, "when does the Freshman team play Sophomores in hockey?"
"Next week," Phyllis answered.
Noiselessly, the door opened again.
Valerie and Madge slipped into the room.
"A family reunion," Janet said cheerfully. "We must celebrate. Carol, get the chocolate."
"We have cookies in our room," Madge offered generously.
"Then perhaps we should go there," Carol suggested.
"I'll bring them here," Madge said.
Neither hot chocolate nor cookies lasted long once the girls attacked them seriously.
"You know," Janet said, "I heard one of the Chemistry teachers is sending the Dean candy and flowers."
"Mmm," Carol hummed.
"Romantic idiots," Madge declared. "Just because she's young and pretty."
"Why not?" Janet teased. "Even college professors aren't immune. Look at Gale—"
"That isn't all about the Dean," Valerie said suddenly.
The others leaned closer.
"I heard someone is trying to murder her—or something like that."
"What do you mean?" Gale asked sharply.
"Tell us!"
"I heard her house was set on fire yesterday."
"What?" Gale and Phyllis both straightened immediately.
"How?" Phyllis demanded.
"No one knows," Valerie said. "The maid saw curtains blazing in the library. The caretaker put it out. Nothing should have caused it—it must have been deliberate."
"But who?" Carol asked skeptically. "And why?"
"Things like that don't just happen," Janet added.
She looked at Gale and Phyllis.
"You two look like you actually believe it."
"Tell them everything you know," Phyllis urged Gale.
"But don't repeat it," she warned. "We can't prove anything yet."
"We'll be silent as mice," Carol promised.
Gale then told them everything she had discovered and suspected.
The girls listened in stunned silence.
"We should form a detective club," Carol declared.
"We are the best mystery-solvers at Briarhurst," Janet agreed.
"But where do we start?"
"Good detectives always find clues," Madge said confidently.
"But be careful," Phyllis warned. "Dean Travis may not like us interfering."
"We'll make it our business," Gale said firmly.
"And it might be adventurous," Valerie added excitedly.
"We've been short on adventures lately," Janet said. "Things have been too quiet."
"We'll fix that," Carol promised.
"And now," Phyllis said, checking the clock, "we have to get back to the sorority house."