midnight
Jennie , however , will have reason to be grateful to you for helping her out of what , otherwise , might have proved a very awkward situation . '' Miss Williams went at once to the girl and released her from the confinement she had imposed upon her the previous night . She explained how Miss Minturn had come to her rescue , and Jennie , who had for once been thoroughly frightened , vowed she would `` never be caught in a scrape of any kind '' during the remainder of her course . Considerable excitement prevailed during the day , and the `` midnight escapade '' was the one topic of conversation whenever a group of girls came together ; but it was not until study hours were over in the afternoon that any active measures to `` investigate '' the matter were instituted . Then Katherine was summoned to the principal 's study , where she found the four teachers who had the west wing in charge , and Jennie , assembled . Jennie was rigorously catechised , but had very little to tell . She had overheard something of a plot that promised considerable excitement and fun ; she had also heard some one whisper , `` Monday , at midnight , '' and her curiosity had been raised to the highest pitch , therefore she had been unable to resist being `` in at the finish . ''