The girls started to a sitting posture and regarded each other
fearfully.

"What is it?" cried Mollie, her eyes big and round in the semi-dark.
"Betty, what are you doing?"

"That was a shot," responded Betty, her voice quivering with
excitement. "I've been listening for it all night. Who's coming--"

"Oh, dear!" wailed Amy. "I knew some one would get killed! It's worse
than some awful nightmare."

But Betty was already running from the room, with Mollie close at her
heels. Reluctantly, Grace and Amy slipped on their robes and slippers
and followed.

Betty almost ran into Mrs. Irving on the landing, and gasped an
apology.

"Oh, dear, what do you suppose it is?" she panted, as they went on
down the stairs together. "If another of the boys is hurt--"

But at that moment the boys themselves came bursting in upon them,
rumpled, sheepish and out of temper, to confront the excited girls in
the lower hall.

"What do you know about that?" cried Roy disgustedly. "If I'm not the
biggest fool that ever lived, I'll eat my hat."