BE DOWN ON THE DOCK AT SUNDOWN
WITHOUT FAIL PREPARED TO UNDERGO
THE ORDEAL WHICH ALL
DWELLERS IN THE ALLEY MUST
SUFFER BEFORE BEING WELCOMED
INTO THE INNER
CIRCLE OF ALLEY
SPIRITS.

WARNING:  MENTION NOT THIS SUMMONS
TO A LIVING SOUL OR AWFUL
WILL BE THE CONSEQUENCES.

SIGNED:  THE TERRIBLE TWELVE. 
P.S.  BRING YOUR BATHING SUITS.

“What on earth?” cried Hinpoha in bewilderment.

“It’s the Alley Initiation!” exclaimed Sahwah.  “I heard someone asking when it was going to be.  Mary Sylvester and Jo Severance and several more of the old girls were talking about it while they were in the water today.  It seems that the girls who have lived in the Alley before always hold an initiation for the new girls before they let them in on their larks.”

“I wonder what they’re going to do to us,” mused Hinpoha.  “That advice to bring your bathing suit sounds suspicious to me.”

“Do you suppose they’re going to throw us into the river?” asked Agony.

“Nonsense,” replied Sahwah.  “Half the new girls in the Alley can’t swim.  Dr. Grayson wouldn’t allow it, anyway.  He made a girl come out of the water during swimming hour this morning for trying to duck another girl.  They’ll just make us ridiculous, that’s all.”

“Well, whatever they ask us to do, let’s not make a fuss,” said Hinpoha.  “Here comes Miss Judy.  Put that letter out of sight and act perfectly unconcerned.”

Sahwah whipped the envelope into her suitcase and flung herself down on her bed; the others followed her example; and when a moment later Miss Judy stepped into the tent and looked quizzically at the trio she found them apparently wrapped in placid slumber.

Shortly before seven that evening, when the Avenue girls were dancing in the bungalow, Sahwah and Hinpoha and Agony quietly detached themselves from the group and slipped down to the dock to find Katherine and Oh-Pshaw and Jean Lawrence already down there, swinging their feet over the end of the pier and waiting for something to happen.  Down the hillside other forms were stealing; Migwan, and Gladys, and Bengal Virden, followed by Tiny Armstrong, until practically all the inhabitants of the Alley were gathered upon the dock.  Miss Judy was leaning over the edge of the pier untying the launch.

The neophytes watched intently every move that the old girls made, and were somewhat reassured when they saw that they had brought their bathing suits, too.

“Are all assembled?” asked Miss Judy, straightening up and looking over her shoulder inquiringly.

“Not yet,” answered Mary Sylvester, taking an inventory of girls present.

“Who isn’t here yet?”

“Carmen Chadwick and the Lone Wolf.  Oh, they’re coming now, so is Miss Amesbury.”

Migwan felt a little flustered as Miss Amesbury came smiling into their midst.  She didn’t in the least mind being initiated, but she did rather hate to have Miss Amesbury see her made ridiculous.  She would much rather not have her looking on.