The Adventure Girls at Happiness House

With a final chug and screech of brakes the train slid to a halt before the two story frame building that did duty for a railway station in the little college town of Briarhurst.

A group of girls proceeded with much hilarity and little speed to transport themselves and their luggage from the railway coach to the station platform. From there they viewed the rusty bus that was to transport them up the hill to the college grounds.

"It will never hold all of us and our luggage," Carol Carter declared with firm conviction. "Perhaps we had better walk."

Janet Gordon looked at the dusty road winding up the hill behind the station and then at the bus. "You can walk," she said. "I'll take a chance on this antiquated vehicle."

"Are you the six young ladies goin' to Briarhurst?"

The girls turned to see a wizened old man approaching from the station. "If ye are, climb aboard. I'm the bus driver."

"I'll wager the bus is even older than he is," Madge Reynolds murmured to Valerie Wallace.

"Will the contraption hold together?" Carol wanted to know.

"It's been a-runnin' for nigh onto twenty years and ain't fell apart yet," the driver said, climbing into his seat and waiting for the girls to get aboard.

"That isn't saying it never will," Phyllis Elton commented.

After much dickering the girls got into the bus, their luggage for the most part piled on the roof, and the ancient vehicle with its ancient driver started with a roar.

"It reminds me of a peanut roaster," Carol murmured. "The way the radiator is steaming and the noise it makes."

"Everything but the peanuts," agreed Janet. "Which reminds me, I hope dinner is early."

"Dinner is at seven," the driver informed them conversationally.

The bus started the long tedious climb up the hillside and the driver settled back comfortably in his seat. He was in no hurry.

"I thought Briarhurst was a prosperous college," Phyllis Elton said to Gale Howard, "wouldn't you think they would have a more modern bus? This thing might scare new students."

The driver frowned on her with all the disgust possible to his wrinkled features.

"Lizzie, here, has belonged to the college since she was new. She's good enough for you yet. Even the new Dean can't junk old Lizzie." He patted the steering wheel with all the affection and prized possessiveness of a loving father.

"New Dean?" Gale questioned. "Isn't Professor Harris the Dean any more?"

"Nope," the driver said. "Professor Harris resigned an' this new one come up here about three weeks ago. She's been tryin' to make changes we old ones don't like."

The girls exchanged glances. They had heard so much about Professor Harris and her rule at Briarhurst. The Dean had been much beloved by the girls. The prospect of a new régime at the college did not particularly appeal to them.

"What's she like-the new Dean?" Janet asked interestedly.

"Young and purty," the sour old man said grudgingly. "But she got no business tryin' to change things that been goin' on all right for thirty years. She won't stay long," he added darkly.

"Why won't she stay?" Phyllis wanted to know.

"The old ones don't like her," he said firmly.

"By 'the old ones' I take it you mean the teachers and other members of the faculty," Gale said.

"That's right," he agreed.

"What has she done to make them dislike her?" Janet inquired.

The man shook his head. "We don't aim to make this a modern institooshun. She has newfangled notions about a new bus and sports for the young ladies. We old ones ain't goin' to stand for it," he repeated firmly. Evidently he considered himself an important part of the college personnel.

"The idea about a new bus is enough to prejudice him," Carol laughed to Janet. "Whoops!" She made a wild lunge for her handbag as the bus navigated a deep rut with a series of protesting groans from the framework. "However, it is enough to put me on her side. If she wants a new bus I am for the new Dean!"

The bus halted first in front of the registrar's office and the girls were assigned to their prospective quarters. Because of crowded conditions only Phyllis and Gale were fortunate enough to win a room in the sorority house of Omega Chi, and this was only through the efforts of their former High School teacher. The other four girls were assigned to the dormitory house on the east lawn of the campus. At first the separation rather put a damper on their spirits.

"You might get into the sorority house next year," consoled Phyllis.

"As it is," Janet commented, "we will leave you two to face the dragons of the sorority by yourselves."

The next stop of the bus was to let Gale and Phyllis off in front of the Omega Chi Sorority house. They surveyed their future home interestedly while standing in the midst of their baggage which the driver had dumped unceremoniously at their feet. The bus rattled away and the girls exchanged glances.

"We might as well go in," Phyllis said finally.

Several girls were on the veranda and these viewed with interest the new arrivals.

"We might as well," Gale agreed with a sigh. With a traveling bag in either hand she followed Phyllis up the steps and into the building that was to be their home for the next four years.