they had entangled in the tentacles of the Upedes. The chums found themselves untroubled by the F. C.'s; it seemed to be a settled fact among the girls that Ruth and Helen were pledged to the Upedes.
"But we are not," Ruth Fielding said, to her friend. "I don't like this way of doing business at all, Helen—do you?"
"Well—but what does it matter?" queried Helen, pouting. "We want to get in with a lively set; don't we? I'm sure the Upedes are nice girls."
"I don't like the leadership of them," said Ruth, frankly.
"Miss Cox?"
"Miss Cox—exactly," said the girl from the Red Mill.
"Oh—well—she isn't everything," cried Helen.
"She comes pretty near being the boss of that club—you can see that. Now, the question is, do we want to be bossed by a girl like her?"
"Then, do you want to be under the noses of the teachers, and toadying to them all the time?" cried Helen.
"If that is what is meant by belonging to the Forward Club, I certainly do not," admitted Ruth.
"Then I don't see but you will have to start a
