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The boy looked up, caught sight of the in the shadowed hallway, let out a shriek of surprise, and dropped his book The door slammed closed behind him and all was once more dark

PROPER COMMUNICATION IN SOCIAL SITUATIONS

Who’s that?" came a querulous voice into the darkness "I know you’re there; show yourselves!"

Sophronia stepped forward "Buck up, Pillover It’s onlyhere? How’d you get in? Is that ed a reluctant Vieve and Soap forward "No, but I do have company Pillover, may I introduce Genevieve Lefoux and Phineas B Crow? Vieve, Soap, this is Pillover Pluave his t acquaintances a very haughty look "Riffraff?"

"Only on the surface They’re both good eggs Vieve here is an intellectual, and Soap’s, ered to coave a little snort, but Vieve looked childishly delighted to be described as academic in any way

Pillover looked Vieve over and seeh for all that she was nine Then he turned to look up at Soap, illuht "But Miss Sophronia, he’s colored!"

Sophronia tilted her head and conteh she had never noticed his skin tone before "It’s irrelevant Or do I mean irreverent?"

"It is?" Pillover arched one brown

Sophronia nodded firmly "Yes"

Pillover bent and picked up his book "If you say so"

"Pillover, what are you doing here, instead of at the theater?"

The boy shrugged "I’ with Pistons Oily pains, the lot of the bits of steaines, can he?

Soap sidled in "Miss Sophronia, we don’t have oing to the roof to look at a transhtened at the idea

So the infiltration party increased to four, and they trotted onward

"Is he going to be useful?" Soap asked Sophronia

"You never know," replied Sophronia wisely She turned to their new companion "So, these Pistons?"

"Oh, they think they are so boots, and wearing black shirtwaists, and being all gloos on the breasts of their jackets in a non-useful manner Really it’s only an excuse to push everyone else around And no one does anything about them, because half of them are supposedly the sons of Pickleot most of the school stitched up You’d think ere here to learn, but apparently not"

Sophronia ed by Pillover’s chatter "Oh, I knohat youwith us"

Pillover wrinkled his nose "Must be quite the lark"

"Indeed She’s already tattled me out"

"No?"

"Oh, yes"

"And how’s h she fainted again"

"Blood?"

"Blood"

"From what I hear of your school, that’s to be expected"

"We had lessons in knife-fighting from a olf"

"Werewolf? Bully! We don’t have any supernaturals here It’s quite a dearth in the deanship if you ask ht to have at least one vairls, and you’ve a vampire and a olf Jolly unfair, that’s what I call it"

By this ti ever closer to the roof, when they came face-to-face with a maid mechanical Instantly, Vieve and Soap stepped in front of Sophronia and began bouncing about

"What are you doing?" Pillover deirl," explained Sophronia

"Oh, of course, I forgot" After a hesitation, Pillover too began an aard gyration They all looked so ridiculous that Sophronia had to suppress a giggle She ht about re Vieve of her obstructor, but it was sothem dance she decided not to

They climbed the last set of stairs up into one of the many turrets, only to be faced with a locked door Sophronia rattled the handle hopefully Nothing

She looked around "Anyone kno to pick a lock?"

"Soencer you are," complained Pillover

"I’ve only been there ais practically unparalleled"

"Well, why not flutter your way into the locked roonored this and looked at Vieve hopefully "Inventions?"

Vieve shook her head

"Stand aside, ladies," said Soap gallantly "I shall rescue you"

Pillover gave Soap a disgusted look at being included with the "ladies," but made room for him to approach the door