The Meadow-Brook Girls Under Canvas / Aldridge, Janet

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Title: The Meadow-Brook Girls Under Canvas

Author: Janet Aldridge

Release Date: February 3, 2005  [eBook #14889]

Language: English

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THE MEADOW-BROOK GIRLS UNDER CANVAS

Or, Fun and Frolic in the Summer Camp

by

JANET ALDRIDGE

Author of _The Meadow-Brook Girls Across Country_, _The Meadow-Brook
Girls Afloat_, etc.

Illustrated

Philadelphia
Henry Altemus Company

1913







[Illustration: "I go, I thtay!" (Frontispiece.)]



CONTENTS

CHAPTER

    I. CRAZY JANE'S WILD DRIVE

   II. WHAT HAPPENED TO TOMMY

  III. THE TRAIL TO CAMP WAU-WAU

   IV. IN THE HEART OF THE FOREST

    V. THEIR TROUBLES MULTIPLY

   VI. TAKING THEIR FIRST DEGREE

  VII. TOMMY HAS A NIGHTMARE

 VIII. A DAY WITH AN EXCITING FINISH

   IX. SOUNDING THE GENERAL ALARM

    X. AROUND THE COUNCIL FIRE

   XI. TRIED BY THE FLAMES

  XII. HARRIET TURNS THE TABLES

 XIII. THE CAMP GETS A SURPRISE

  XIV. CRAZY JANE IS INTRODUCED

   XV. THE GHOST OF WAU-WAU

  XVI. THE LAYING OF A SPOOK

 XVII. THE SOUP THAT FAILED

XVIII. AN "HONOR" FAIRLY LOST

  XIX. WHEN THE STORM BROKE

   XX. THE FALL OF A FOREST KING

  XXI. A DAY OF EXCITEMENT

 XXII. SLUMBERS RUDELY DISTURBED

XXIII. HARRIET'S GRAVE MISTAKE

 XXIV. CONCLUSION





CHAPTER I

CRAZY JANE'S WILD DRIVE


"Tommy, what are you doing?" demanded Margery Brown, shaking back a lock
of unruly hair from her flushed face.

"Conthulting the Oracle," lisped Grace Thompson, more familiarly known
among her friends as Tommy.

"I should think you would prefer to cool off in the shade after that climb
up the hill. I'm perishing. If you knew what sight you are you'd come in
out of the sun, wouldn't she, Hazel?"

Hazel Holland regarded Margery solemnly.

"You are a sight yourself, Buster. Your face is as red as a beet. I wish
you might see yourself in a looking glass."

Buster tossed her head disdainfully. "I'm not a sight," she declared.

"I'll leave it to Tommy if your face isn't positively crimson." But Tommy
was too fully absorbed in her present occupation to give heed to the
remark. "I'm sorry Harriet isn't here," continued Hazel, seeing that Tommy
had not heard her.

"Why isn't she here?" asked Margery.

"Harriet is helping her mother," replied Hazel. "She always has something
to do at home. She is a much better girl than either you or I, Buster.
Harriet is always thinking of others instead of herself."

"Well, she's older. She is sixteen and I am only fourteen. By the time I'm
her age I will settle down, too," declared Margery wisely.

"Wearing spectacles and darning socks," smiled Hazel.

Margery shook her head vehemently.

"Wouldn't it be awful!" she queried.

"Oh, I am not so sure of that," replied Hazel. "I like to keep house.
Every girl ought to know all about housekeeping. Do you know how to cook?"

"No. I don't want to know either, not even plain cooking," retorted
Margery. "Plain cooking may be all right for plain people, but----"

"Buster!" rebuked Hazel. "I am amazed to hear you talk that way. That is
like Crazy Jane. You don't want to be called another 'Crazy Jane,' do
you? You will be if you persist in saying such silly things."

"Why don't you lecture Tommy?" demanded Margery, her eyes snapping
threateningly. "Tommy doesn't know a biscuit from an apple dumpling until
she gets it in her mouth."

"Tommy, please come in out of the heat," begged Hazel. "What are you doing
out there?"

"Telling my fortune," answered Tommy without raising her head from her
task. Hazel observed that Tommy was pulling a daisy apart. A heap of
daisies that she had pulled up by the roots, lay in her lap, regardless of
the dirt that was accumulating on her stiffly starched white dress. One by
one Tommy pulled the daisy petals from the flower, muttering rhythmically
to herself.

"Consulting the Oracle," sniffed Buster. "Did you ever hear of anything so
silly?"

"We all do silly things," answered Hazel wisely.

"I go, I thtay; I go, I thtay; I go, I thtay; I go--Oh!" Tommy glanced up
with an expression of disgust on her face.

"Didn't it come out to suit you?" smiled Hazel Holland.

"No," pouted Tommy, screwing up her small face. When animated, Grace's was
an impish face, made more so by the upward tilt of a much freckled nose.

"Go where?" I questioned Margery, now evincing a mild interest in Tommy's
affairs.

"To the thea thhore."

"Oh, the sea shore," nodded Hazel.

"Yeth. The daithy theth tho. I'm going with my father and mother. But I
don't want to go. I want to thtay here with the girlth," pouted Tommy.

"I should think you would be happy to think you are going to the sea
shore. Most girls would be," reminded Hazel.

"It must cost a lot of money to go to the sea shore," remarked Margery
Brown.

Tommy bobbed her head vigorously.

"Yeth. My father hath lotth of money, I thuppothe. But I don't care. I
don't want to go."

"When do you go?"

"I don't know, Hathel. The Oracle thayth I'm going."

The Oracle having settled the question, no further doubts remained in the
mind of little Grace Thompson.

Grace's father was a lawyer. Both he and the girl's mother had inherited
fortunes, and Grace being an only child had much, finer clothes than any
of her companions in the little New Hampshire town of Meadow-Brook.

Hazel Holland and Margery Brown were the daughters of village merchants,
the former's father being a druggist, while the father of the latter owned
a fairly prosperous grocery business.

The fourth member of this little quartette, Harriet Burrell, was not so
fortunately situated as were her three friends. Harriet's father was a
bookkeeper in the local bank, and on his moderate salary was doing his
best to give his daughter and younger son an education. His salary was
barely sufficient to do this and at the same time support his family,
small as it was.

It was Harriet's ambition to go to college. She was now sixteen years old.
In two more years she would finish her course at the high school. From
that point on, the way did not look particularly bright, so far as
continuing her education was concerned.

In the meantime Harriet Burrell was living the wholesome life that her
environment made possible. She was a strong, healthy, buoyant girl, full
of life and spirits, popular with everyone who knew her, and a superior
being in the estimation of the three girls who were her close friends,
even though she was unable to dress as well as they or to do other things
that were easily within the means of the parents of Grace, Hazel and
Margery.

The four girls were together much of the time, quarreling and making up
almost in the same breath, even stubborn little Tommy giving way to the
kinder and more mature disposition of Harriet Burrell. As Hazel had
already said, Harriet at that moment was at home helping her mother, even
though the fields, the trees and the nodding daisies were calling loudly
to her.

"Must you go if you do not wish to!" Margery was asking.

"I gueth not; not if I don't want to, and I don't," declared Grace with
emphasis.

"She thinks she can have more fun with us four girls this summer. Still,
she should go if her folks wish her to do so," nodded Hazel thoughtfully.
"Don't you say so, Buster?"

"No, I don't," declared Margery with some warmth. "In her place I should
do just what I liked best. Then again, it wouldn't be fair for Tommy to go
away like that and leave us all alone here to mope through the summer.
That's right, Tommy. Tell them you won't go unless--unless you can take us
along too."

"Margery!" rebuked Hazel severely. "That wasn't a nice thing to say. That
shows a selfish spirit. If Harriet were here I know she would tell you the
same thing. I am sure you didn't mean it that way."

"Harriet wouldn't," protested Buster. "She doesn't put on a solemn face
and read people lectures. No, Hazel Holland, she doesn't do anything of
the sort. There's some one coming," exclaimed the girl, suddenly changing
the subject.

"I see her. It is Miss Elting," answered Hazel, her eyes growing bright.
"She is coming up to see us, I do believe."

"Yeth, it'th Mith Elting," decided Grace, screwing up her little face and
looking inquiringly at the newcomer who was leisurely making her way along
the road in their direction. 441 wonder what she wantth."

"Miss Elting is coming up to join us, of course," replied Hazel. "And you
see if she doesn't have something fine to suggest. Harriet is going to
miss something, I know."

Miss Elting was one of the younger teachers in the Meadow-Brook High
School, a leader in the girls' sports and very popular with them. But of
all the pupils in the school her favorites were perhaps the four girls to
three of whom the reader already has been introduced. Miss Elting called
them "The Little Big Four." The young teacher exerted a great influence
over the four Meadow-Brook Girls; she had been especially helpful to
Harriet and a closer relation than that of teacher and pupil existed
between the two. Both were passionately fond of Nature. They loved the
fields, the woods and the waters and many a care-free happy hour they had
spent together in the open. Hazel, Margery and Grace frequently
accompanied them, though in such instances Harriet and Miss Elting usually
found it necessary to cut short their outing because Margery "got all
flustered up" from the heat and Tommy's feet usually hurt her.

They had recognized Miss Elting approaching some distance down the road
that lay at the foot of the hill upon which the three girls had gone to
spend a few leisure hours.

"Hoo-oo!" called Hazel, springing up and waving her handkerchief to
attract Miss Elting's attention. The teacher saw them they thought; she
appeared to be waving her hand at them, though the distance was so great
that they could not be certain of this.

"I'm going to meet her," exclaimed Tommy, springing to her feet. "You
thtay here." Tommy started off, scattering a lapful of daisies about her
as she ran, then fled down the hill in a series of leaps, her white shoe
ties brushing the tops of the daisies and sending the latter into a
nodding sea of protest.

"Grace! Grace, come back!" cried Hazel.

"Isn't she a tomboy!" scoffed Margery. "Her nickname suits her."

Tommy was moving too rapidly at that moment to turn back, even though she
had wished to do so. So fast was her gait that she appeared to have lost
control of herself. Her little white-shod feet were working like parts of
a machine driven at high speed. Her voice floated up to them in a shrill
wail.

"Thave me! I'm going to fall," she cried. Then she disappeared from view
as she sprawled face downward with arms thrust forward among the daisies
and tall grass.

"Oh! She is hurt," cried Hazel in alarm.

"No, she isn't. Don't get excited," answered Margery calmly. "You don't
know Tommy if you think a little tumble like that could harm her. See,
there she goes."

Sure enough, Grace was on her feet again racing down the hill at the same
reckless pace as before. She reached the foot of the hill without further
mishap, hesitated a second or so at the fence, and then vaulted over it.
For a moment, she was out of sight in the ditch beside the road, then she
was seen clambering into the dusty highway.

Hazel was laughing.

"You couldn't do that, Buster, I'll warrant."

"I am sure I don't want to," answered Margery stretching out comfortably
with her hands supporting her head. "I'm no circus performer."

Hazel uttered a little exclamation.

"Look Margery! Look!" she cried.

"Well, what is it? I don't see anything," replied Margery petulantly,
raising herself on one elbow, gazing listlessly down into the valley where
the village lay baking under the hot June sun.

"It's a special," cried Hazel. "See, the cars are orange colored. Aren't
they pretty? I never saw anything more attractive."

Margery turned up her nose disdainfully.

"I don't see anything about a railroad train to get excited over," she
answered, lying back in the shade of the maple tree, beneath which the
girls had been resting for the past hour or so.

That the special train rushing down the valley, would make no stop at
Meadow-Brook, Hazel could plainly see. Trains that were to stop there
always slowed down before reaching the second crossing west of the
village. This one had not done so. No sooner had Hazel observed this than
she caught sight of something else, something that set her nerves all a
tingle. A huge cloud of dust was rolling down the highway near the
railroad tracks. That this cloud was not caused by the train was plain to
the watching girl. Soon she was able to make out the outlines of an
automobile in the cloud of dust. The train was but a short distance away.
Each was making for the crossing, where the highway and railroad tracks
met. Hazel did not believe the driver of the motor car was aware that the
train was so close, even if the driver knew of its presence at all, for no
train was due to pass through Meadow-Brook at that hour.

The color suddenly left Hazel Holland's face.

"Quick! Quick! Look!" she gasped.

"It's too hot to keep bobbing up and down," returned Margery
indifferently.

"But look! Look!"

"Tell me about it, Hazel, dear. You do not have to get up to see. I do."

"Oh? Buster, there's going to be a collision."

"Eh? What?" Buster was on her feet instantly.

"The train is going to hit the automobile!"

Margery's face paled. Her breath came more quickly. Her eyes grew large
and wondering. The power of speech seemed suddenly to have left her. They
had forgotten all about Grace Thompson in the greater interest of the
moment. Margery shivered with apprehension while beads of perspiration
stood out on her forehead. She was staring in terror at the onrushing car.

"Oh!" she shuddered. "There'll surely be a collision."

"Look! The chauffeur doesn't see the train on account of the dust. Don't
you see the dust rising in the road ahead of the automobile? The wind is
blowing it up ahead and the machine is kicking it up behind. Hoo-oo!
Hoo-oo!" cried the girl, frantically waving her handkerchief to attract
the attention of the driver of the car, at the same time pointing to the
rapidly approaching train.

Instead of slackening speed, the driver of the motor car appeared to be
putting on more. The car was rapidly nearing the railroad crossing. So was
the train.

"Oh, I can't look at it," cried Margery, throwing herself on the ground
and burying her face in her arms.

Hazel stood perfectly rigid. She scarcely breathed. Her eyes were wide and
staring.

"Ha--as it hap-p-pened?" faltered Margery.

"No-o-o. Oh! The driver is going to be killed! Oh, oh!"

For one awful second the motor car and engine of the special were
swallowed up in a cloud of dust, then out of the cloud darted the
locomotive on one side. On the other dashed the automobile, still on four
wheels, continuing at the same reckless speed along the highway.

Hazel uttered a little scream.

"He's made it. Oh!" She sank to the ground pale and trembling. Margery
raised a very red, very scared face.

"Wa--as he killed?"

"No."

"Oh, fudge! Why didn't you scare me to death while you were----"

"Look Oh, look!"

"I won't," declared Margery firmly. "Go crazy if you wish. I won't."

"It's Tommy!"

Buster bobbed up in a fresh panic.

The "man" in the motor car was gazing up at the girls waving one hand to
them, steering the car with the other hand.

"It's a woman!" gasped Hazel.

"It's Crazy Jane," cried Margery. "No wonder she nearly ran down a train
of cars."

"Tommy! Oh, Tom-my!" screamed Hazel Holland, hopping about frantically,
waving both arms above her head, seeking to attract the attention of the
woman driver as well as that of Tommy.

The little white figure had climbed the bank into the highway and was now
fleeing down the road to meet her friend Miss Elting. Tommy did not see
the automobile approaching from the rear. A knoll and a bend in the road
hid the driver of the car and the little white figure from each other. The
noise of the train either drowned that of the automobile, or else, Grace
thought the rumble made by the car to be that made by the train that had
just passed down the valley.

The motor car roared around the bend. Miss Elting screamed as she saw it.
Grace heard the scream, but failing to understand the meaning of it,
decided it to be some sort of greeting. The little girl waved her arms in
reply. Miss Elting was gesticulating and pointing frantically. The two
girls on the hillside were for the moment paralyzed with fright.

All at once, Grace appeared to perceive her danger. She turned sharply.
There she stood, her frightened face turned toward the oncoming car that
was rapidly approaching her enveloped in a blinding cloud of dust. The
driver and Tommy discovered each other at about the same instant. There
was no time to stop the car.

Suddenly, car and Tommy were swallowed up in the dust cloud.

"Grace is killed!" screamed Margery.

"Yes, oh yes!" wailed Hazel, wringing her hands. "What shall we do?"

Out of the dust cloud hurtled the little white figure. She appeared to
have been doubled up into a large white ball by the car when it struck
her.

The ball rolled from the road, disappearing into the roadside ditch. The
motor car lurched around the curve in the road, zig-zagged past Miss
Elting, then became a rolling cloud of dust again.




CHAPTER II

WHAT HAPPENED TO TOMMY


"Oh-h-h!" moaned Margery. "Poor Tommy has been killed."

In that terrible moment Hazel Holland came nearer to fainting than ever
before in her life. She pulled herself sharply together. Margery was by
this time sobbing hysterically.

"Don't do that," commanded Hazel sharply, "We must do something. Come
quickly!"

Hazel started down the hillside in the trail followed by Tommy during her
break-neck sprint to meet Miss Elting. The latter was already running
toward the scene of the accident. Hazel recalled afterwards having
wondered at the time that a woman could run so fast. Miss Elting's feet
seemed barely to touch the ground. Margery, mustering her courage,
staggered to her feet and followed Hazel at a slower pace, though she,
too, was running.

Hazel was the first to reach the place where Grace had been hurled from
the highway by the car.

"Grace!" she screamed, clambering awkwardly over the fence, dropping down
on the road side. "Oh, Grace, are you killed?"

A pale-faced girl was sitting at the bottom of the dry ditch with both
feet tucked under her. There was a bewildered look on her small face. She
was blinking dazedly.

"Oh, dearie, are you injured?" cried Miss Elting, slipping and sliding
down into the ditch beside the pale-faced Tommy.

"Yeth."

"Tell me where, what?"

"My feelingth are hurt."

"She's alive! She's alive," cried Hazel, throwing impulsive arms about the
neck of her little friend.

"Your feelings are hurt? Well, dear, if that is all, you are a lucky
girl," smiled Miss Elting. "Did the automobile hit you?"

"Yeth."

At this juncture, Margery made her appearance in a wholly unexpected
manner. Margery in climbing the fence had caught her skirt on a nail. She
plunged headlong down the bank into the ditch, almost falling on Grace.

"Oh, oh!" groaned Margery.

Hazel, laughing almost hysterically in her joy at finding Grace alive,
quickly assisted Margery to her feet, wiping the dirt from Buster's
flushed face.

"She isn't hurt at all," laughed Margery, fixing a glance of inquiry on
Tommy's face.

"Tommy says her feelings are hurt," Miss Elting informed Buster.

"Then I am worse off than she. Because I tore my skirt and hurt my arm,
too. Catch me running on another wild goose chase like this one. I don't
believe the car hit you at all, Tommy Thompson."

"Yeth it did," protested Tommy. "Of courthe it did. I gueth I know. I felt
it."

"Stand up," commanded Miss Elting, placing both hands under the arms of
the girl and assisting her to her feet. "There! Now see if you can walk.
Of course you can," comforted the teacher. "The car never touched you. You
must have leaped out of the way just in time. Come, I will help you into
the road, then we will take you home. But where is Harriett? I heard she
was out here with you girls."

"I should not be here had not Tommy and Hazel dragged me out," declared
Margery. "Violent exercise is not good for one during the hot weather."

"It'th very good for you, Buthter," remarked Tommy wisely. "It ithn't good
for a growing girl to be thtout, tho I've heard."

"Don't worry. You will never suffer from being too stout," retorted
Margery. "You can't keep still long enough."

"Mith Elting, I've been thitting here in the ditch for ever and ever tho
long and not thaying a word, and Buthter thayth I can't keep thtill."

"Why don't you girls stop squabbling and answer Miss Elting's question?"
demanded Hazel. "Harriet is at home, Miss Elting."

"Yeth, Harriet ith wathing ditheth for her mother," said Tommy. "I'd like
to thee anybody make me wath ditheth if I didn't want to."

"That isn't a nice thing to say, Grace," rebuked the teacher. "Of course
Harriet is a great help to her mother, as every girl should be. Suppose,
Grace, that your mother could not afford to hire a servant to do these
things for her? In that case I am positive you would do whatever you could
to assist your mother. I believe you would make a fine little
housekeeper."

Grace shook her head with emphasis.

"No? Then what would you do if your mother insisted upon your washing
dishes?"

"I'd drop the ditheth. Maybe they wouldn't want me to wath any more
ditheth after that," replied Tommy, screwing up her face so impishly that
Miss Elting laughed aloud.

"Is it any wonder that Grace and myself quarrel awfully at times, Miss
Elting?" asked Margery.

"They don't mean anything by it," apologized Hazel.

"Thay, what did you come up here for, Mith Elting?" questioned Tommy,
directing a glance of suspicious inquiry at the teacher. "Do you want uth
to go for another nithe little walk? No, thank you. I've walked with you
before. Thank you very kindly. My feet are too thore and Buthter ith too
tired. Harriet'th brother thayth that Buthter wath born with that tired
feeling. I geth he'th right. Don't you think tho, Miss Elting? Thit down
and retht, and I'll tell your fortune with a daithy."

"If you are rested sufficiently I think we had better move on. Don't
worry, Grace. I am not going to drag you away on one of those long walks.
But I have something to tell you."

"I knew it," piped Tommy. "Look out! There cometh another automobile."
Tommy shied from her position in the road like a skittish horse.

Just then the car that had caused all the trouble came honking toward them
and slowed down with a series of explosions that sounded like the
discharges of a Gatling gun. The young woman who was driving the car,
brought it to a stop, leaped out and running to Grace threw her arms about
the slender girl in white.

"Oh, my darlin', my darlin'. My blessed little Tommy. Did I kill you
altogether? And I wasn't going a little bit, was I? But didn't I come near
to ripping the cowcatcher from that engine? Wasn't it just glorious the
way I dodged the old thing? I knew all the time it was going to be a close
shave, but I made up my mind I'd beat 'em out even if I took off the hind
wheels of my car. Get in, you dears. I'll drive you home."

"What! Ride with you?" questioned Margery. "Not for a million dollars.
It's a shame. They ought to arrest you."

"Yes, Jane," rebuked Miss Elting. "You shouldn't go racing about the way
you do. Your car nearly ran over Grace."

"Dad says I drive too fast. He says he doesn't blame folks for calling me
'Crazy Jane.' He says I'll meet with an accident one of these days. But
Dad has old-fashioned ideas."

Jane paused long enough to brush back two stray locks from her flushed
face. Her hair was all awry and her attire showed carelessness and haste
in dressing.

"Well, darlin's, if you won't go with me I think I'll go and get Harriet.
She isn't afraid to ride with me."

"Please don't do that," replied Miss Elting. "We are on our way to see
Harriet on important business."

"So long, then. I'm off, girls."

Jane sprang into her car and drove away with a sputter and a roar,
disappearing in a cloud of pungent blue smoke.

"Isn't she a crazy creature?" demanded Margery disdainfully.

"She means well," soothed Hazel.

"Yeth. Thhe meanth to kill thomebody well," corrected Tommy.

Jane McCarthy had acquired the name of "Crazy Jane" because of her
reckless driving, her harum-scarum ways and her complete ignoring of
public opinion. Not a few of the residents of the little New Hampshire
village feared that Jane might be brought home after one of her wild
drives, with broken bones, if not worse.

In spite of her reckless manner Jane was well liked. She was good hearted
and very charitable, though her charity was not always bestowed with
judgment Being motherless she had practically done as she pleased ever
since she began to walk, and her father, a wealthy contractor, had
indulged her every whim, believing that Jane could do no wrong. Jane was
prompt to take advantage of this paternal leniency, though her worst
offense was that of continuously terrorizing the neighborhood in which she
lived and the whole countryside as well, by her reckless driving with both
car and horse.

The narrow escape of Grace Thompson from being run over by the big touring
car had not shaken Jane's nerve in the least. It had shaken Tommy's only
briefly. Tommy, supple and alert, had leaped from the road just in time to
avoid being run down by the car. A second's delay on her part would
undoubtedly have proved serious if not fatal to Tommy Thompson.

But the three girls were to see more of Jane in the near future. She was
to play a more active part in their lives than she had ever before done.
Just now they were more interested in what they instinctively felt Miss
Elting had to say to them.

"Now, listen, girls," said Miss Elting after the roar of the car had died
away in the distance. "I will tell you about the very pleasant plans I
have made for you and Harriet."




CHAPTER III

THE TRAIL TO CAMP WAU-WAU


"I understand that your parents have been considering your going to the
sea shore with them, Grace?" said Miss Elting with a rising inflection in
her voice. "I suppose you are eager to go?"

"No, I'm not. What'th, more, I'm not going. I'm going to thtay here with
the girlth. Why?" Tommy regarded the teacher keenly.

"Because my dear, if you are not going to the sea shore I wish to include
you in my plans for the summer. I have a fine vacation planned for the
four of you. Does any of you know the location of Pocono Woods?"

The girls shook their heads.

"It is a forest near Jamesburg about twenty-five miles from here. How
would you young women enjoy spending your vacations in a camp in the
woods, living in tents and----"

"Really truly tentth?" interrupted Tommy.

"Yes, dear. Real tents and campfires and all that sort of thing, right in
the heart of the Pocono Woods, miles and miles from civilization."

"Are there any thnaketh there?" questioned Grace apprehensively.

"No, no snakes."

"Mothquitoeth?"

"There may be a few mosquitoes. I cannot say as to that. But it is a
lovely spot. This camp," Miss Elting went on to say, "is for young girls
and young women, and is part of the Camp Girls' Association, a large and
growing organization. You will find a great many other young women there
and you will, while there, be in charge of a guardian."

"Guardian!" interrupted Grace. "My father ith my guardian."

"Oh, I don't mean that sort of a guardian," answered Miss Elting with a
bright smile. "The guardians are merely the women who take charge of the
girls during their stay in camp. I am to be one of them this summer. I had
planned to take you four girls there after the close of school, but did
not think it advisable to speak of my plans until they were more fully
developed and all arrangements completed. Now what do you think of it?"

"It is perfectly splendid," cried Margery. "Won't that be great, girls?
But," she added, her face sobering, "I do not think my father and mother
would permit me to go."

"I am quite sure that mine would not," agreed Hazel solemnly.

"I gueth Mith Elting hath theen to that," spoke up Tommy, her eyes
narrowing.

"You have made a close guess, Grace. They have agreed, all except in your
case. Your mother wishes to talk the matter over with you and your father
before making a final decision."

"Then it ith all right," nodded Tommy confidently. "I'll make them let me
go anyway and--ith Harriet going?"

"Yes. I hope so."

"Doeth thhe know about it!"

"I have not spoken to Harriet about it. I had hoped to do so out here
to-day. That is why I proposed just now that we return to the village. We
shall have a chance to talk it over on the way back, when I will tell you
more about the proposed vacation."

"You thay my folkth know about it, Mith Elting?"

"Yes, dear."

"What did they thay?"

"That they thought you had better go to Narragansett with them, but that
if you insisted, they supposed you would have to go to the summer camp
with us," admitted the teacher with a tolerant smile.

Tommy twisted her face into a grimace.

"My folkth know what ith good for them," averred the little blonde girl.

"I am afraid, my dear, that you do not fully know what is good for
yourself," declared the teacher reprovingly. "You will have to obey the
rules when you get to camp, and they are quite strict. There are so many
girls there, that rather strict regulations have to be enforced. Every
girl is expected to live up to them. Failing to do so she undoubtedly
would be sent home."

"If they catch her," answered Tommy wisely. "You thay that Harriet
doethn't know about thith?"

"Not yet, Grace."

The girl reflected for a moment. They had started slowly toward the
village. All at once Tommy started down the road at top speed.

"Grace, Grace!" called Miss Elting.

"She's gone to tell Harriet what you have said," declared Margery.

A shade of annoyance passed over Miss Elting's face, quickly giving place
to an amused smile as she watched the light-footed Tommy speeding down the
road. Tommy whisked herself out of their sight in no time.

"Let us hurry on," urged the teacher. "Grace is sure to confuse the story
if she tries to tell it. Mrs. Burrell wished me to tell Harriet of the
camping trip that is before her."

The girls nodded their approval of the suggestion. Margery held her head a
little higher than usual. She wanted to impress upon Miss Elting the fact
that she was too dignified to do what Tommy had just done.

In the meantime Grace had continued her wild flight to the door of the
Burrell home into which she burst like a miniature cyclone. Her face was
flushed and her eyes sparkled. Her white dress was crumpled and stained
from sprawling on the hillside and falling out of the road into the
wayside ditch.

"Oh, Harriet! Harriet!" she gasped, flinging herself into the room where
Harriet Burrell and her mother sat sewing on one of Harriet's dresses
which, though the young woman did not know it, was intended for her to
wear during the coming vacation in camp.

Harriet sprang up and ran to the excited Tommy, believing that something
terrible had occurred.

"Tommy, Tommy! What is it?" she cried.

"The greatetht thing you ever heard. Oh, I won't tell you. It ith too
good. Gueth what? Gueth!" chuckled Grace.

"I am afraid I cannot," laughed Harriet, now discovering that nothing was
amiss with Grace. "I am not a good guesser, but I do guess that you are
very much excited."

"You're going, too," interrupted Grace. "We're all going, and we're all
going to live in----"

"Sit down, Tommy and calm yourself. You are so excited that I can't
understand anything from your jumble of words," admonished Harriet, laying
a firm hand on the arm of her friend and pushing Grace into a chair.

"I don't want to thit down," objected Tommy bobbing up again. "I want to
talk, then I want to danthe. Oh, I'm tho happy. But I'm a thight," she
added, glancing down at her gown.

"I agree with you," answered Harriet, smilingly. "Do sit down and compose
yourself. Where are the girls? Are they as flustrated as you are?"

"Yeth, and they're going, too. They're coming here with Mith Elting.
They're coming from over there." Harriet smiled as Grace waved an excited
hand toward the west, the direction in which the hill lay.

"Tell me about it. I am growing curious. Where is it we are going?"

Tommy bobbed up from her chair and began dancing about the room.

"Oh, ever and ever tho far."

By this time Mrs. Burrell began to understand. She realized that the cat
was about to jump out of the bag, but made no effort to assist Grace in
telling the story. Instead Harriet's mother sat with an amused smile on
her face.

"We're going away, we're going away. Don't you underthtand?"

"No, Tommy, I don't."

"Oh, fiddle!"

"Where is it that we are going?"

"Ever and ever tho far away. Way off in the woodth where the birdth thing
and the frogth croak and the mothquitoeth bite you and thpoil your
complexion. And, oh, gueth, gueth, Harriet."

Harriet threw up her hands, an expression of comical despair on her face.

"I give you up, Tommy. You are hopeless. Here come Miss Elting and the
girls. Perhaps Miss Elting can tell us what it is all about. I am not
going away. You are going to the sea shore, are you not, Tommy?"

Tommy shook her head vigorously.

"I'm not," she declared, with a stamp of her foot. "I'm going to the
woodth and----"

"You ran away from us, you naughty girl," chided Miss Elting after having
greeted Mrs. Burrell and Harriet. Margery and Hazel had followed her in,
and were now shaking hands with Harriet, though it had been only a matter
of some two hours since last they met.

"I suppose Grace has told you all about it, Harriet. However, there may be
a few dry details left for me," continued Miss Elting with a severe frown
at Tommy.

"She hasn't told me anything. She has tried to tell me, but she is too
excited to be intelligible. Please tell me what it is all about. I am
anxious to hear the news."

"Let Grace tell it, now that she has begun," suggested Miss Elting,
nodding to the excited Tommy.

However, with the entrance of the teacher and the two girls, Tommy in her
haste to blurt out the full story had become hopelessly tangled. She
hesitated, stammered, then stopped short. There was a merry laugh at her
expense.

"I shall have to tell you after all, young ladies," said the teacher. "You
four girls, it has been decided, are to go with me to the summer camp in
the Pocono Woods. Do you know about the summer camp there, Harriet?"

"I have heard of it," answered Harriet, gazing steadily at the speaker.
"It is quite an important organization, is it not?"

"Just so. As I already have explained to the girls, I am one of the
guardians. I thought it would be fine to have my Meadow-Brook Girls
accompany me, and with the consent of the parents of each girl, I have
arranged for you to remain in the camp for six weeks, at least, or until
we have to return to get ready for the fall term of school here."

"Yeth, and, and, and----" began Tommy.

"Oh do hurry up and tell the retht, Mith Elting," she ended impatiently.

The smile slowly faded from Harriet's face, and now that the animation had
left it, it was rather plain. Her hair brushed straight back from a broad
forehead, made more pronounced the undeniable plainness of her features.
But when animated that face was fairly transformed. As Miss Elting had
expressed it, "Harriet lighted up divinely." She was a tall, well built
girl whose erect carriage and graceful poise indicated athletic training.

"Yes, that will be fine, indeed," agreed Harriet. "Of course you know it
will not be possible for me to go with you, much as I should like to. You
understand why without my explaining, Miss Elting."

"Yeth you will go," burst out Grace, suddenly finding her voice again.
"I'll pay for you. I've got lotth and lotth of money."

Harriet's face flushed.

"You are a dear, Tommy. But you know I could not permit you to do that,"
was Harriet's gentle reply. "It is very, very good of you, but wholly
impossible. You know Miss Elting, that I could not afford a vacation such
as that, much as I should like to go. Oh, wouldn't it be fine if we four
girls might spend our vacation in camp together?" she exclaimed, her
features lighting up again.

"And so you shall," answered Miss Elting with a finality in her tone that
led Harriet Burrell to gaze at the young woman with keen, questioning
eyes. "Listen, my dear. I am going to take you with me as my guest. As I
have already explained, I am one of the guardians of the camp. The
guardians receive no remuneration for their services, but each is
entitled, if she wishes, to take one girl with her as her guest. The girl
so taken would be a member of the camp, just the same as the others. She
would in no sense be a charity member either. She would be on exactly the
same footing as her companions. That is the way you are going to join the
camping party. I am inviting you to be my guest. Your name already has
been registered with Mrs. Livingston, the Chief Guardian of the camp. Your
place will be ready for you when you reach there, and I believe you will
enjoy your summer thoroughly."

"Now what have you got to thay to that?" demanded Grace triumphantly.

Harriet turned a thoughtful gaze on the smiling face of her mother.

"And you knew about this all the time, but said never a word to me,
Mother?"

"Yes, dear."

"Oh, you darling Mother," cried the girl impulsively, throwing both arms
about Mrs. Burrell's neck, kissing her affectionately. From her mother
Harriet turned her attention to Miss Elting whom she also embraced in a
bear-like hug. "How can I ever thank you?"

"By going with us," answered Miss Elting.

"Thay, aren't you going to kith me? Didn't I firtht tell you about it?"
demanded Tommy.

Harriet ran over to her little friend, kissing her lightly, at the same
time giving Tommy's ear a pinch.

"Girls, you have been in the secret all the time, too, haven't you?"

"Do you think I could keep a thecret all that time?" answered Grace.
"Didn't I nearly break my prethiouth neck to get down here to tell you the
good newth the minute I heard it? Didn't I get run over by an automobile,
too?"

"Grace fell down the hill. She did have a narrow escape from being run
down by Crazy Jane," explained Miss Elting.

Harriet regarded her little friend with twinkling eyes.

"When do we go?" she asked.

"On Saturday, the day after to-morrow."

"So soon! Oh, that will be glorious. But how about clothes. What do the
girls wear? Anything they happen to have?"

"No. They dress alike, or nearly so."

"Then I fear I shan't be able to go. You see I have nothing except my
regular clothes."

Miss Elting continued speaking, unheeding the interruption.

"The everyday dress is of dark blue serge, the waist is batiste lined, it
has long sleeves and a large flowing bow, made of plaid or Roman-striped
silk at the neck. The skirt for the large girls is plain with a wide box
pleat at the back. The skirt for the smaller girls is kilted and made
ankle-length or shorter if desired. The dress has three pockets, one of
them in the sleeve----"

"Funny plathe for a pocket," observed Tommy.

"Now do you begin to understand?" smiled Miss Elting.

"Why--why," stammered Harriet, "That is the very thing mother and I have
been working on. I've been at work on my camp dress all the time and
didn't know it." Harriet laughed excitedly. There were tears of joy in her
eyes. "Oh, what a goose I have been, haven't I, girls?"

"Yeth," agreed Tommy, bobbing her head up and down.

"The official hat," continued Miss Elting, "is also of dark blue serge to
match the rest of the outfit. It has a white silk cord about the crown
with the name of the camp in white on the blue background. I forgot to say
that the emblem of your rank in the camp order, will be worked on the
sleeve. That may be done after reaching camp."

"What is the name of the camp--Pocono?" asked Harriet for the sake of
continuing the conversation. She was too dazed to think clearly as yet.

"Camp 'Wau-Wau' is the name. It is a Chinook Indian name. 'Wau-Wau' is a
term, usually applied to a number of squaws gathering for a confab, and
corresponds to the 'pow-wow' of the braves. Now you know all about it. We
shall start from here on the noon train Saturday."




CHAPTER IV

IN THE HEART OF THE FOREST


"Is the wagon for Camp Wau-Wau here?" asked Miss Elting.

Four happy-faced girls, accompanied by the teacher, had left the train at
Jamesburg, from where they were to be conveyed by wagon into the woods.
Miss Elting was directed to a three-seated buck-board wagon. Jasper, the
handy man about the camp was on the driver's seat. He was an old man who
said little. It was rumored that three seasons spent at Wau-Wau had
thoroughly subdued him.

"What about the trunks?" asked the young woman.

"Fetch 'em to-morrow," he answered tersely.

Tommy regarded the slender looking buck-board apprehensively.

"Buthter better walk," she decided. "The wagon won't hold her."

"Now, now, Tommy, do stop teasing Buster. If the wagon goes down Margery
will go down with it," answered Harriet laughingly.

"And she will fall a great deal harder than will you," added Miss Elting,
at which there was a merry laugh.

It was late in the afternoon when they finally climbed into the buck-board
which sagged in the middle until all the girls began to grow apprehensive.
They started away along a country road a gay party, indeed, but Harriet
noted that horse and driver were not well matched. The horse she could
plainly see was young and fractious, and she wondered what the old man
would do should the animal prove unmanageable. Their driver, however,
appeared to have perfect control over the animal, so Harriet dismissed the
disturbing thought from her mind and prepared to enjoy the ride.

The drive to the camp was fully twenty miles. Having come by train they
had covered nearly twice the distance that would have been necessary had
they driven direct from Meadow-Brook. The fields through which they were
driving were green, the air was fresh and fragrant after a shower that had
fallen earlier in the day and the girls in the buck-board wagon were in
high spirits.

"I'll tell you what, girls," cried Harriet after they had sung all the
songs they knew and discussed the country through which they were passing
until the latter subject had been worn out. "I'll tell you what we ought
to have."

"Ith it thomething nithe?" questioned Grace.

"It is a yell, Tommy."

"A yell? I can yell."

"I don't mean it in that way. Something like a high school or a college
yell. We are the Meadow-Brook Girls, you know. We have a name, now we must
have a yell."

"Oh, Mith Elting, give uth a yell, a loud one," urged Tommy, her eyes
sparkling.

Miss Elting smiled tolerantly.

"You had better arrange one to suit yourselves," she answered. "Harriet,
you will have to provide the yell now that you have suggested it."

Harriet already had a pencil in her hand. She sat holding the pencil
poised above the fly leaf of a book that she had brought along to read,
but had not up to this moment, so much as opened. Her brow was wrinkled in
thought. Tommy was regarding her keenly.

"Well, aren't you going to yell!"

All at once Harriet's face relaxed. She began to write. Margery craned her
neck to see what was being written, but Harriet held the cover of the book
in such a position that Buster could not see what was being jotted down.

"It isn't polite to look over another person's shoulder in that way,"
reproved Hazel.

"Well, you wouldn't exthpect Buthter to be polite when she ith away from
home, would you?" demanded Grace.

"I have it," announced Harriet. "Listen, girls and see how you like this:

    "'Rah, rah, rah,
      Rah, rah, rah
      Meadow-Brook, Meadow-Brook,
      Sis, boom ah!'"

"What do you think of that, girls? Isn't that simply fine?" cried Miss
Elting enthusiastically. But her voice was lost in the chorus that welled
forth from the throats of the Meadow-Brook Girls, who had taken up the
yell with a will. Tommy's "thith boom ah!" at the end of the yell sent not
only the girls, but Miss Elting as well into peals of merry laughter.

Jasper never smiled. He stroked his long whiskers reflectively. Harriet
who occupied the seat beside him, stole a glance at the old man out of the
corner of one eye.

"I suppose you are used to girls, aren't you!" she asked.

"Ya-a-a-s," drawled Jasper then relapsed into silence. The girls promptly
broke the silence again by giving the Meadow-Brook yell. They continued to
give it until their throats ached. Now and then three of them would stop
short of the last line in order to catch more clearly Tommy's "thith boom
ah!" which always sent them into screams of laughter. Finally Tommy became
angry and refused to yell. But the little lisping girl was like an April
day. Her frowns of displeasure were replaced by smiles within a very few
minutes. The girls had learned not to take Grace's fits of temper
seriously. When she became ruffled, they simply left her to herself for a
few moments well knowing that the clouds would soon pass and the sun shine
again.

"There are the woods! Oh, girls, look at them," cried Harriet. The wagon
had reached the top of a high knoll in the road, when below them was
revealed the dark blue of a forest that stretched straight ahead and to
the right and left as far as the eye could reach.

"Yes, that is Pocono Woods," Miss Elting informed them. "Are they large
enough to suit you?"

"What would we do if we were to get lost in there?" gasped Margery.

"I know what I'd do," piped Tommy. "I'd yell like thixthty."

"You are likely to do that even though you are not lost," chuckled the
guardian.

"How far into the woods do we go?" wondered Harriet.

"'Bout ten mile, I reckon," answered Jasper.

"Ten miles? Listen to that, girls. Oh, isn't it perfectly splendid?"
exclaimed Harriet. "I never dreamed that I should have such a glorious
vacation as this is going to be. How many girls are there in camp, Miss
Elting?"

"Forty or fifty I should say. I do not know the exact number. You will
find a happy lot of young women. Are you hungry?"

There was a general assent to the question.

Miss Elting produced a small hamper in which were sandwiches, cold tea,
milk and fruit. It was a delightful surprise to the girls. They showed
their further appreciation by eating every crumb of the luncheon, while
Jasper contented himself with nibbling at a single sandwich which he held
in one hand, driving the young horse with the other.

In this way they drove into the forest, entered the cool dark shadows of
the big woods, and were greeted with a chorus of piping twitters from
hundreds of forest birds, varied now and then by the hoarse caw of a
distant crow whose voice perhaps had started the woodland chorus. The
fragrance of the woods mingled delightfully with the perfume of the wild
honey-suckle. The Meadow-Brook Girls fell silent under the majesty of the
forest. Tommy was the first to break the spell.

"Thith ith a thpooky old plathe," she declared with a shiver. "Oh, Mr.
Jathper, are there any fairieth in thethe woodth?"

"Any what?"

"Fairies," explained Harriet, smiling absently.

"Never seen none," answered the old man gruffly.

"Isn't it simply glorious?" breathed Hazel.

"It is too wonderful for words," agreed Harriet.

Miss Elting nodded, smiling happily at the enthusiasm of the girls. The
wagon was following an old logging road. Small bushes grew up in the
middle of the road. The wheels sank down into deep ruts that had been cut
by the tires of the heavy logging wagons, but in general the way was free
of obstructions, though the bushes in the road tickled the hide of the
young horse until he began to prance from one side of the road to the
other in an effort to avoid them. Harriet wanted to suggest to Jasper that
he use both hands to drive, but she did not quite like to do so. He
undoubtedly would resent her interference, nor could she blame him for
doing so.

"Jasper, are you sure the horse is perfectly safe?" questioned Miss Elting
apprehensively.

"Hasn't been doing nothing for nigh onto a week. Jest feels his oats,
that's all."

Harriet was not fully satisfied with the explanation, though the others
appeared to be. Harriet watched the animal now even more closely than she
had done before.

"Gid-ap!" commanded Jasper, giving the horse an unexpected slap with the
reins after a particularly quick swerve to one side of the road on the
animal's part. The horse cleared the road with a single leap sideways. He
had been pricked by the sharp top of a bush at the instant the reins were
brought down on his back. The reins not being under the full control of
the driver at that moment, the animal took advantage of the fact and
shying clear out of the narrow road, plunged in among the trees in a panic
of fear.

There followed a crunching grinding crash.

"Thave me! Oh, thave me!" screamed Tommy.

With a ripping sound the canopy top was stripped clear of the vehicle and
left dangling from the low hanging limbs of the trees under which the
buck-board wagon had been dragged.

"Hold fast! Don't try to jump!" commanded Miss Elting without the least
trace of excitement in her voice. Hazel placed a firm hand on the arm of
the terror-stricken Tommy.

The right forward wheel of the wagon collided with a tree. The wheel was
shattered, and the end of the axle broken off short. At the same instant
the horse sprang sharply to the left evidently in an effort to get back
into the log road, facing almost in the opposite direction.

Jasper being on the downhill side when the wheel collapsed, plunged head
first from the seat, landing heavily on the ground. His head coming into
contact with the base of the tree, Jasper sank over on his side,
unconscious.

Harriet had not lost her head for a second. As the driver fell she
snatched at the reins. She caught one of them, the other falling to the
ground on the wrecked side of the wagon.

The thills of the wagon broke off short with reports like the explosions
of a pistol. Then the horse bolted. Harriet grasping the one rein with
both hands shot over the dashboard of the wagon as though she had been
projected from a cannon. Hazel and Tommy were also pitched from the
vehicle, Miss Elting and Margery clinging to the seats as the wagon
toppled over on its side.

"Let go!" shouted Miss Elting. "You'll be killed!"

But Harriet clung to the single rein, the frantic animal dragging her away
at a frightful rate of speed.




CHAPTER V

THEIR TROUBLES MULTIPLY


Harriet Burrell's position was, indeed, a perilous one. She was too plucky
to release her grip on the rein, no matter what the cost to herself, and
her gown. Clinging desperately to the rein she was jerked violently across
the log road, the horse dragging her after him as he bolted in among the
trees on the opposite side.

Harriet still hoped that she might be able to check the animal and bring
it to a standstill. She did not pause to think what a foolhardy thing she
was doing. All of a sudden the animal swung about in a half circle. He
literally cracked the whip with Harriet Burrell. The rein slapped the side
of a big tree. Harriet was lifted from her feet and hurled with great
force into the middle of a heap of brush. The dead branches snapped under
her weight and she landed at the bottom of the heap, then lay still.

Miss Elting upon finding that the other three girls were more scared than
hurt, had run after the fleeing horse that was dragging Harriet away. She
cried out in her alarm as she saw the girl land in the brush heap. But by
the time Miss Elting had reached the spot, Harriet's pale, scratched face
appeared above the top of the brush.

"Oh, my dear, my dear! Are you hurt?"

"Oh, I am all right, thank you," answered Harriet with a brave smile.
"Was--was any one injured?"

Before answering Miss Elting had plunged into the brush waist deep to lend
a hand to Harriet. The gowns of both women were considerably damaged
before Harriet had been assisted from her uncomfortable predicament.

"You poor girl!" exclaimed Miss Elting.

"I am somewhat the worse for wear," smiled Harriet ruefully.

"Thave me, thave me!"

At sound of the familiar voice and the familiar words they turned to see
Tommy running toward them.

"Jathper hath a fit," cried Tommy.

Miss Elting and Harriet ran back to the scene of the accident as fast as
they could go. Harriet was limping a little. They found Jasper sitting at
the base of the tree, holding his head and groaning. Hazel and Margery
stood pale-faced gazing down at him.

"What seems to be the matter with him?" questioned Miss Elting.

"It ain't me. It's the hoss," groaned Jasper. "That three-year old cost me
jest a hundred and fifty dollars two weeks ago."

"You will get him back," soothed Harriet

"Yes, but he's spiled. D' ye think Mis' Livingston'll ever trust me to
take out another passel of girls behind that critter? And the rig! It's
smashed. It's busted."

"I shouldn't worry until I had to," advised Miss Elting. "Just now we have
other things to concern us."

"Which way did my hoss go?"

Harriet did not know. Her head had been in such a whirl at the time she
had parted company with the animal, that she had lost all sense of
direction. Miss Elting said the animal had started back toward Jamesburg.

"Then I must git back to the burg and find him," declared Jasper.

"He ithn't going to leave uth here in the woodth, ith he?" wailed Grace.

"Don't worry," replied the guardian. "Jasper, how far are we from town?"

"Nigh onto fifteen mile."

"Then we should be about five miles from the camp?"

He nodded.

"What do you propose to do with us in the meantime?" demanded Miss
Elting.

"You kin wait here till I git another hoss and come back."

"No, thank you. We do not care to sit down here until you return, which
will not be until some time to-morrow morning, even if you hurry."

"I got to git that hoss or another hoss," persisted Jasper.

"You will do nothing of the kind. You will remain right here with us,"
declared Miss Elting firmly. "You shall not go to Jamesburg for a horse
until you have seen us safely in camp. Is there any chance of any one else
driving past here?"

He shook his head.

"Why can't we walk it?" asked Harriet.

"I had been thinking of making that suggestion. Do you feel equal to it,
Harriet?"

"Oh, yes. And the woods are so nice and cool and fragrant. I should prefer
walking to riding behind that horse again."

"So should I," agreed Miss Elting with emphasis.

"I got to git a hoss," repeated Jasper stubbornly.

Twilight already was upon them. The forest would soon be in darkness.

"Girls, get together such of your belongings as you think yourselves able
to carry. Jasper will also take a bundle. I would suggest that we put our
changes of clothing into two bags and have him carry them."

"But our camp dresses are in the trunks," answered Hazel.

"We shall have to get along without them, that's all. Perhaps Mrs.
Livingston may be able to fit us out until we get our own clothes. This is
most unfortunate. I am awfully sorry, girls. I am afraid you will wish you
hadn't accepted my invitation."

"Yeth. I with I'd thtayed at home," piped Tommy. She was very frank about
it. There was no beating about the bush with Grace Thompson.

"This time you will have to walk whether you wish to or not," jeered
Buster. "I don't want to walk, but I am willing to for the sake of seeing
you do something you don't like for once. Just think, you will have to
walk five miles, Tommy Thompson."

"Five mileth?"

"Yes."

"Oh, thave me! I won't. I'll thtay right here till Jathper getth another
horthe."

"Very well," smiled Miss Elting. "You may remain here until he comes for
you sometime to-morrow morning. Jasper, when the young women have their
bags ready you will take two of them. We shall manage with the rest of
the things very well, I think," she added sweetly.

Jasper obeyed meekly after glancing at the determined face of the
guardian.

"We shall have to leave some of our belongings here. I suppose they will
be perfectly safe?" she questioned.

Jasper grunted sourly.

Tommy stood observing the preparations for their departure, her alert eyes
taking in everything. Especially did she eye Miss Elting, but the
expression on the face of the latter told Grace nothing. Jasper dragged
down the canopy top, surveyed it ruefully; then kicked it aside with a
grunt of disgust.

"I gueth you'd like to kick the horthe too," observed Tommy.

Jasper gazed at her, started to say something, then checked himself.
Margery and Hazel giggled. The man finally picked up the bags and stood
sullenly waiting. Miss Elting and Harriet also carried suit cases, the
other girls taking small packages with them. Tommy stood leaning defiantly
against a tree.

"Good night, Tommy," called Miss Elting sweetly. "Keep out from under the
trees, if a thunder storm should come up during the night." Harriet, Hazel
and Margery suppressed their giggles. Tommy held her position, standing
with head thrust forward, eyes narrowed, face drawn into sharp wrinkles.

"Oh, we oughtn't to do it," whispered Hazel.

"Never mind, dear," replied Miss Elting. "You don't think for an instant
that Grace will remain behind, do you? This is one of several little
lessons that we shall teach her this summer."

They walked on swiftly, for darkness had now overtaken them. All at once
they heard a plaintive little wail behind them. A small figure came flying
down the log road.

"Thave me! I'm tho afraid," pleaded Tommy, darting up beside Miss Elting
and snuggling against her.

Then the Meadow-Brook Girls laughed. The woods rang with their laughter.
They expressed no sympathy for Tommy. They were agreed that she had
learned a good lesson. Tommy pouted, but clung closely to the guardian.
About this time a halt had to be made while Harriet attended to the skirt
of her gown that had been badly torn by the brush. Her companions assisted
her in pinning it up. While absorbed in this task they had forgotten all
about Jasper. They discovered his absence quite suddenly when Miss Elting
raised her voice in a loud hello to him.

No answer came back.

"How provoking!" exclaimed Miss Elting.

"He has gone away and left us," moaned Margery.

"Do you think he could have gone back to Jamesburg?" questioned Harriet.
"I believe he would if he dared."

"He had better not. I don't see that there is anything to be afraid of
except that we might pass by the camp, which, I understand is some little
distance from this road. Then again we must not get off the road or we are
sure to lose our way. All keep close together. We will continue to walk
on. We will call him frequently. I am certain that when he finds we are
not keeping up with him, he will either return to see what has become of
us or stop to wait."

For a full half hour they continued on their way, stumbling, catching
their feet in vines that had trailed across the road occasionally, bumping
into trees, but never once wholly getting off the log road. Now and then
the call of a night bird fluttering from a tree near at hand, would send
Margery and Tommy into a sudden panic. There are many weird sounds to be
heard in the forest at night. It seemed as though the travelers heard them
all. Had their guardian not been with them, at least two of the girls
would have been hysterical. Harriet appeared undisturbed and Hazel held
herself very well in hand. But all at once there came a sudden
interruption that threatened at the moment to send them all fleeing for
safety.

Margery who was walking to one side of the road and slightly in advance of
Miss Elting, uttered a piercing scream. They heard her fall.

"Help, oh help!" cried Margery, terrified.

Harriet darted forward to her companion's assistance. She stumbled over
something that moved and tried to push her aside. Harriet thrust out both
hands and grappled with the object. She grasped a handful of hair.

"It's an animal!" cried the girl, tugging with all her might. "Quick!
Help!"

Miss Elting ran forward, now really alarmed, the frightened Tommy still
clinging to her skirts. Then came a voice, a male voice raised in angry
protest.

"Leggo my whiskers, consarn ye!" it shouted. "Leggo, I tell ye. It's
Jasper."

There followed a scuffle and a fall, as Jasper in trying to rise from the
suit cases that he had been carrying, fell over them. He landed on his
back, shouting angrily. Harriet sat down in the road overcome by a sudden
weakness, then she laughed. The other girls, now that the tension had
snapped, were laughing also, all except Tommy who was so frightened that
she could not say a word.

"Jasper, what do you mean by frightening us in this manner?" demanded Miss
Elting severely. "First, you run away from us then you frighten us nearly
out of our wits."

"Yaas. Mebby ye think it's fun to pull a man's whiskers out when he ain't
looking. I sot down here on them bags to rest. I was waitin' for ye to
come up seein' as I'd got ahead. Then one of 'em had to come blundering
along and fall over me. Before I knowd what had hit me, the other--I don't
know who she is in the dark--lighted on my whiskers like a pesky
mosquito," complained the driver.

Harriet ceased her laughing at once. She got up, stepping carefully over
to the place where the driver was standing nursing his injured whiskers.

"It was I who pulled your whiskers, Mr. Jasper," she said. "I am so sorry.
But--but I thought you were some sort of animal and--and----"

Harriet's concluding words were lost in a shout of laughter from the
girls.

There was nothing more to be said. Harriet felt so humiliated that she was
glad they were unable to see her face.

"Jasper!" commanded Miss Elting sharply. "I shall require you to keep just
ahead of us within sound of our voices even though you cannot see us in
the darkness. How far are we from the camp?"

"Three miles," answered the man sourly.

Tommy groaned.

"My feet are giving out," she complained.

"Let me help you along," said Harriet, placing an arm about her little
companion. "Try to forget your tired feet."

"I've a pain in my neck too. I might forget the pain in my neck but the
pain in my feet ith there to thtay."

"Never mind, we shall be at Camp Wau-Wau in a couple of hours, then we
will have something to eat and you will go to bed and sleep. Isn't it all
perfectly delightful, dear?" comforted Harriet.

"Yeth, it ith fine. Tho fine you can't thee it," agreed Tommy dolefully.

It was a trying journey at best. They had lost all track of time, not
being able to consult their watches in the dark. Jasper had no matches and
he was very irritable, which perhaps was not surprising in view of the
fact that he had lost his horse and wrecked a wagon for which he
undoubtedly would be called upon to pay, as it did not belong to him.
After a time they gave up trying to obtain information from Jasper.

The dull glow of a fire through the trees gave them the first inkling that
they were nearing their destination. Tommy was being fairly lifted along
by Harriet The latter did not complain at supporting the girl and the suit
case, but her arms ached from the exertion.

"There's the camp, dear," encouraged Harriet.

"Camp's a mile down the path," growled Jasper, bringing a groan from
Margery and Grace. "That's the fire the girls built up so that we
shouldn't go past the path."

"That was thoughtful," exclaimed Harriet. The building of the fire made
quite an impression on her. This impression was strengthened when upon
reaching the low fire she observed that all leaves and combustible matter
had been raked away to a safe distance from the fire so that the forest
might not be fired by the blaze. It was her first lesson in woodcraft on
this eventful journey into the big forest.

They followed a dark path that wound in and out, a gloomy aisle in the
great forest with the tops of the trees over their heads, so high as
almost to be lost to view even in daylight, Margery puffing, Tommy
uttering little moans now and then so that her companions might know of
her misery. That last stretch along the narrow path seemed an endless
journey. Then too, it will be recalled that the Meadow-Brook Girls had had
nothing to eat since morning except the cold luncheon served by Miss
Elting.

"There is the camp, girls," cried the latter some thirty minutes later as
a second glow off to the left attracted her attention. "I am right, am I
not, Jasper?"

Jasper grunted an affirmative, then led the way to Mrs. Livingston's tent,
at Miss Elting's direction. It was the only tent with a light to be seen.
The other tents were lost in the shadows of the forest, and the girls who
were occupying them were lost in dreamland.

"Keep very quiet so you will not awaken any one," cautioned the guardian
as they approached the Chief Guardian's tent, rapping gently on the tent
pole. The flap was drawn quickly back. Mrs. Livingston welcomed the
wanderers warmly.

The camp life of the Meadow-Brook Girls had really begun. Its activities
and excitement were to begin within a few hours from the time of their
arrival.




CHAPTER VI

TAKING THEIR FIRST DEGREE


"But my dears," cried Mrs. Livingston, a sweet-faced, motherly woman.
"What could have occurred?"

It was not strange that she should express amazement, for the condition of
the clothes of the Meadow-Brook Girls would have attracted attention
anywhere. She stood back surveying them anxiously. All were more or less
disheveled. Tommy's blonde hair had fallen about her shoulders in tangled
locks; Margery had burst most of the buttons off her blouse when she fell
over Jasper; Harriet's blue gingham frock had been sadly demolished on her
journey at the end of the rein behind the frightened horse; Hazel found
difficulty in keeping her hair out of her face; besides which, both she
and Miss Elting looked tired and worn.

"We had an accident," explained Miss Elting. "But we overcame all
difficulties finally."

"I'm the only one that wath overcome," lisped Grace. "It wathn't the
difficultieth, it wath mythelf. And, Mithith Livingthton, Harriet pulled
out some of Jathperth whithkerth. Wathn't that funny?"

"You had better leave the explanation to me," suggested Miss Elting, who
then went on to explain what had occurred on their journey to the Pocono
Woods, Mrs. Livingston listening with wide open eyes.

"Oh, I am so sorry, my dears," comforted the elderly woman after having
heard the story of their experiences. "But you surely did show pluck. That
is proper. A Camp Girl must be resourceful and brave under all
circumstances."

"Yeth ma'am. Pleathe tell that to Buthter. She ith a 'fraid cat."

"My dear Miss Thompson, that is not the way a Camp Girl should speak of
any of her companions. However, I will forgive you this time. Are you
hungry? You must be after that long walk."

"We had a light luncheon on the way out," answered Miss Elting.

"All of you come with me to the cook tent at once. But I warn, you it will
be a luncheon of such as we can put our hands on. I do not wish to wake
the workers at this hour."

They passed by a long row of darkened tents on their way to the cook tent
located well down the street, which was a street in name only.

"I have assigned you and Miss Thompson to this tent, Miss Burrell," said
the Chief Guardian. "You will be introduced to your tentmates in the
morning. Here we are."

The cook tent was filled with long tables running lengthways of the tent.
Everything was bright and clean with a strong odor of pine in the air.

"My! That odor of pine does give one an appetite," laughed Miss Elting.
"What may we do to assist you?"

"You may make the coffee while I get together some things to eat,"
directed Mrs. Livingston. "You will find the coffee-pot and coffee can
beside it on the second shelf to the right. I think there is still fire in
the stove. I had it kept up until late rather expecting that you would
come in hungry. I shall have to talk with Jasper. His attitude was
inexcusable."

Miss Elting having turned her attention to the fire, Harriet promptly
reached for the coffee-pot and in a short time had the coffee boiling.
Hazel took the food from Mrs. Livingston, placing it on the table and
arranging the places for the party.

"Very well done, young ladies," approved Mrs. Livingston, whose keen eyes
had missed nothing of the preparations. "That is as it should be with a
Camp Girl. I am afraid it will be useless to suggest that you eat as
lightly as possible. You must be famished, but remember you will be going
to bed very shortly after your meal."

They promised her that they would heed her suggestion. All did so save
Grace who ate heavily. Mrs. Livingston regarded the little girl with an
amused smile. She already knew Tommy better than Tommy even knew herself.
To take their attention from their eating in a measure, Mrs. Livingston
told them something of the life of the camp with reference to themselves.

"After you have filled out and signed the blanks to-morrow you will be
full fledged members of the Camp Girls' Association. Each of you will have
attained your first rank. You will be known as Wood Gatherers and the
emblem of your rank will be the crossed fagots on the Sleeves of your
blouses. By the way, Miss Elting, have they been supplied with the
uniform?"

"Yes. Their clothes are in their trunks. We were obliged to leave them at
the station."

Mrs. Livingston nodded.

"Jasper will bring them over to-morrow--provided he has found his horse by
that time," she added with a half smile.

"Do we have to gather wood?" questioned Grace.

"Sometimes. We all have to do our parts in this community. The young
women of the organization do the cooking and the sweeping for the entire
camp. They are divided into squads. All this is arranged by themselves.
Those who are doing the work for the day are called the Workers. You will
have to be up and ready for your duties by six o'clock in the morning when
you are Workers."

"Oh, my goodneth, I couldn't do that," exclaimed Grace.

"Each girl must do her part. The rules of the camp will be explained to
you to-morrow. But I am quite sure the Meadow-Brook Girls will make a
delightful addition to Camp Wau-Wau."

"We shall do our best, Mrs. Livingston," Harriet assured her with eyes
fixed on the face of the Chief Guardian.

"I am sure that you will," was the reply. "Miss Burrell, you and Miss
Thompson will occupy cots in the tent I showed to you as we passed along.
Your tentmates will be Patricia Scott and Cora Kidder. We are obliged to
place four girls in a tent now when we have so many of them with us, later
on two girls may arrange to occupy one tent if they desire to do so,
though the request is seldom made. Breakfast will begin at seven o'clock.
We like to have all our girls on hand promptly at that hour. Miss Brown
and Miss Holland will be your tentmates for the present, Miss Elting. I
think as soon as possible I shall place the Meadow-Brook Girls in one
tent. Would that please you?"

"Yes, indeed," cried the girls.

"Yeth, thank you. We're a clothe corporation, ath my father would thay."

"Grace's father is a lawyer," explained Miss Elting with a smile.

"I observe that she exhibits quite a legal trend of mind," laughed the
Chief Guardian. "Now if you have finished eating I will show you to your
tents. Have you any other changes of clothes for to-morrow morning!"

Harriet said they had not. The Chief said she would try to borrow a skirt
for Harriet. The other girls' clothes were in somewhat better condition,
and would do, even though Sunday was a partial dress up day at Camp
Wau-Wau.

Carrying her lantern Mrs. Livingston led the way first to the tent that
Miss Elting and the two girls were to occupy. The other occupant of this
tent did not wake up. Hers was a sound sleep, induced by hours full of
activity and enjoyment in the fragrant woods.

When they entered the next tent, however, Harriet caught a glimpse of a
pair of bright eyes peering at them from above the blankets. The eyes
closed almost instantly and the sound of regular breathing came from that
cot.

Harriet smiled to herself. She glanced quickly at Tommy who almost
imperceptibly closed and opened one eye. Quick-witted, Tommy had not
missed the little scene. Harriet wanted to laugh, but instead her face
wore a grave expression as she listened to Mrs. Livingston explaining how
they were expected to air their blankets out in the open in the morning,
then after breakfast make their beds and care for their tents.

Each girl had a locker, this being nothing more than a series of hooks set
into the lower ridge plate of the tent, and on which they were supposed to
hang their clothes. A curtain covered this locker or clothes press. There
was one washstand for each pair of girls. They provided their own towels.
In the case of the Meadow-Brook Girls, their towel rack was empty, but
each had a pair in the suit cases, together with other necessary toilet
articles.

Miss Elting had been left to look after Margery and Hazel. Mrs. Livingston
remained in the tent with Harriet and Tommy, until they had prepared for
bed and finally tumbled into their cots. Then the Chief Guardian bade each
of them good night.

"Pleasant dreams, my dears," she said, and left the tent taking the
lantern with her, leaving the interior of the place in darkness. For a few
moments the two girls lay quiet, then Harriet heard Tommy calling to her
in a loud whisper.

"What is it!" asked Harriet.

"I'm afraid."

"Afraid of what?"

"Everything. It ith tho thpooky in here. Thay, can't we lock the door?"

"There is no door to lock. Don't whisper so loudly. You will awaken the
other girls," warned Harriet.

"May I come over in your bed?"

"Indeed you may not. Tommy, do go to sleep. I can hardly keep my eyes
open."

Silence reigned in the tent for several minutes, then Tommy began another
plaintive whisper.

"Thay, Harriet."

"Oh, Tommy, please," begged Harriet. "What is the trouble?"

"I'm afraid."

"There is nothing to fear. What are you afraid of?"

"Bearth."

"There are no bears in this part of the country. I'm ashamed to see you
such a coward."

"You can't thee me at all. It ith too dark," retorted Grace. "What ith
that? Thomebody whithpered."

Harriet Burrell did not answer, for she was sound asleep by this time.
Tommy lay there staring into the darkness until her eyelids grew heavy.
They drooped and drooped, finally closing over her eyes altogether. But
she had no more than dropped into a doze when she came to a sitting
posture wide awake. Something had disturbed her. Something was moving in
the tent and she could almost feel it.

Tommy's eyes grew wide with terror.

"Harriet!" she whispered. "Harriet!" This time the whisper was a little
louder, but there was no answer to the appeal. Then a most terrifying
thing occurred. A low, deep growl sounded right at the head of Tommy's
cot. With a wild cry the terrified little girl landed in the middle of the
floor.




CHAPTER VII

TOMMY HAS A NIGHTMARE


Harriet rousing herself from a sound sleep, did not know where she was for
the moment. Tommy's cries of alarm however, soon brought Harriet to a
realization of her surroundings. The girl bounded from her bed.

"Tommy, oh, Tommy! What is it?"

Tommy fairly flew to what she supposed was the cot of her companion and
threw herself full force upon it. She fell upon a soft body.

"Get off! Get into your own bed. What do you mean by jumping on me?"
demanded an angry voice that Grace even in her great fright, knew at once
did not belong to her companion. "Get out of here!" The words were
accompanied by a violent push. Tommy Thompson was thrown from the cot to
the floor, on which she landed heavily.

"Thave me!" she screamed. "Oh, thave me!"

"You get in here again and I will call the guardian," declared the girl
into whose cot Tommy had thrown herself.

"I heard thomething growl," shivered Tommy.

"It is the supper you ate," suggested Harriet "I don't wonder you heard
growls. You ate more than any of the rest of us."

"She's haunted," suggested the girl on the cot. Then suddenly she
whispered: "Sh-h-h-h!"

A guardian came hurrying into the tent, holding a lantern above her head.
Neither Harriet nor Tommy had seen her before. Tommy sat in the middle of
the floor the picture of woe. Harriet stood near by with a look of deep
concern in her eyes.

"Young ladies, I am amazed," exclaimed the guardian. "Miss Kidder, what is
the meaning of this?"

"I don't know. Patricia had some difficulty with one of these girls," was
the reply.

"She jumped on me," answered Patricia. "I don't know what for, but she
knocked the breath right out of me."

"You are the new girls, are you not?" asked the guardian, turning abruptly
to Harriet and Grace.

"Yes, we are the Meadow-Brook Girls," answered Harriet.

"What appears to be the trouble?"

"Something startled my friend. What was it, Grace, dear?"

"Thome--thomething growled perfectly awful. It wath right by the head of
my bed. It thounded like a wild animal," explained Grace wide-eyed. "Yeth,
and I could hear it'th teeth thnap. It wath going to bite me."

"Nonsense, child. You were dreaming. Did you have a late supper?"

"We ate supper, after midnight," explained Harriet.

"That accounts for it. Get back into bed, at once, girls. I am Miss
Partridge, your guardian."

"I am Harriet Burrell. This is Grace Thompson," introduced Harriet, as she
slipped back into her cot.

"Now that I understand I shall not be alarmed again," said the guardian.
"I trust you will be quiet, Miss Thompson. Remember you are disturbing
others when you permit yourself to raise your voice."

"Yeth'm," answered Tommy. The guardian tucked her into bed, then left the
tent.

"Don't you dare to jump on me again," warned Cora in a low voice.

"She didn't mean to," answered Harriet. "I am sure Grace is sorry that she
disturbed you."

"Yeth. Beg your pardon," said Grace. "But what wath it that growled at
me?"

"I tell you, you're haunted," answered Cora. Tommy snuggled down
trembling. She had begun to believe that she was haunted. After this
interruption the girls slept soundly until late in the night, when all
those in that part of the camp were again aroused by a series of piercing
screams and cries for help. The cries sounded from the tent occupied by
Harriet and Tommy. Not only Miss Partridge, but the Chief Guardian came
running to the scene.

The interior of the tent was in an uproar, but as the guardians neared the
scene they were alarmed to discover that the cries came from without
rather than from within the tent.

Then a further startling discovery was made. A little white clad figure
crouched on the ground a few feet outside the entrance to the tent She was
screaming with terror. Beside her was Harriet Burrell, shaking the
screaming Tommy.

"Stop it! Stop it!" commanded Harriet.

"Yes, please do. You will have the camp in an uproar," commanded Mrs.
Livingston. "Come inside at once. Miss Burrell, will you kindly assist
your friend in? Miss Partridge tells me this young woman raised a
disturbance once before this evening. I fear the late supper was too much
for her. Now, my dear," added the Chief Guardian kindly. "Tell me all
about it."

Tommy sat terror-stricken on the edge of her cot. Patricia Scott and Cora
Kidder likewise were sitting on the edges of their cots. They did not
appear to be frightened. They looked bored and disgusted.

"It wath the motht terrible thing," breathed Grace.

"You must have been dreaming. But tell me, what you think you saw," urged
Mrs. Livingston.

"I didn't think I thaw it. I did thee it," declared Tommy firmly.

"You were dreaming, Tommy. You know you were," said Harriet, but Tommy
shook her head with emphasis.

"It wath a big pink elephant. I thaw him. He walked right in at that door.
Then--then--then--he thtepped up on the cot and walked on me with hith
feet. He wath jutht going to thtep on my face when I cried out."

"Nightmare," smiled Miss Partridge.

"It wath not," protested Grace. "Wait! When I cried out the pink elephant
put hith trunk right around my neck. Look! You'll thee the mark of the
trunk on my neck now."

"Nonsense! There is no mark there, dear," soothed Harriet.

"I gueth I know! It ith my neck. Then the pink elephant lifted me right
up. He wath growling jutht like a bear all the time. Then he carried me
right out doorth and dropped me on the ground. I heard thome thrange
thingth too. I heard feet and wingth in the air. I thaw thome awful
thingth, and----"

"My dear, you have a wonderful imagination," declared Mrs. Livingston,
laughing. "And what is more and worse still, you have eaten too heavily. I
shall see to it that you do not indulge in any late repasts after this."

"Then pleathe tell me, how did I get out doorth?" demanded Tommy
triumphantly. This was something of a poser. Harriet said Grace did not
appear to be fully awake when she reached her little companion.

"What do you know about this?" questioned the guardian, turning to
Patricia Scott.

"Nothing, whatever," replied Patricia.

"Neither do I," answered Cora Kidder. "I was awakened by a great uproar
for the second time to-night. The noise at first sounded right here in the
tent, then when I had sat up on my cot I discovered that it was outside. I
hurried out thinking I might be needed. I found that young woman shaking
the little one. That is all I know about it, Miss Partridge."

"I am sorry that you have been so disturbed," said Mrs. Livingston kindly.
"I do not think Miss Thompson will have any further attacks of nightmare
to-night. If she does, of course we shall have to remove her to some other
tent where she will not disturb any one except possibly a guardian. Now
get back to bed, girls."

The two guardians waited until quiet had once more been restored in the
tent, then retired leaving the girls again in darkness. Tommy was still
trembling, but the keen edge of her fright had worn away.

Harriet lay wide awake for some time. She heard faint whispers being
exchanged between Patricia and Cora. Harriet recalled a swift look that
passed between the two girls when Tommy was telling her exciting story.

"Those girls have had something to do with this," declared Harriet to
herself. "But surely, they were not to blame for Tommy's having had the
nightmare. Tommy had only herself to blame for that. Still, how did she
get outside? That is what I should like to know. I think Miss Patricia
Scott and Miss Cora Kidder could explain something of that if they were to
tell the truth."

Having reached this conclusion, Harriet Burrell went to sleep and slept
until morning without further interruption. She was awakened by the
morning bell. Patricia and Cora had already dressed and gone out. Tommy
was asleep, deaf to the jangling morning bell.

"Tommy, Tommy! Get up," called Harriet. Tommy muttered. Harriet went over
and shook her until she was wide awake. "You have only fifteen minutes to
dress, dear."

"I don't want to dreth. I want to thleep," objected Tommy. Harriet pulled
her out of bed, causing Tommy to sit down heavily on the floor. Muttering
and scolding, Grace dragged herself about wearily and began making her
morning toilet. But she protested with every move she made. Just before
the fifteen minute time allowance had expired, the two girls stepped out
into a glorious forest morning. Great trees towered above them, the forest
birds were raising their voices in a melodious chorus, fresh, pungent
odors from spruce and hemlock trees filled the air and somewhere near at
hand, a stream splashed and rippled musically.

"Glorious!" breathed Harriet. "Oh, isn't it wonderful, Grace, dear?"

Grace Thompson's eyes lighted up appreciatively, then they danced merrily.
All at once, Grace raised her voice shrilly in the yell of the
Meadow-Brook Girls:

    "Rah, rah, rah,
     Rah, rah, rah!
     Meadow-Brook, Meadow-Brook,
     Thithboom ah!"

"Tommy, Tommy, you shouldn't have done that," rebuked Harriet.

Fully a dozen girls sprang from their tents attracted by the new cry; then
they began laughing when they saw Harriet in her torn skirt and had gotten
a good look at Tommy Thompson's impish face.

"Young ladies, do you know what day this is?" reminded one girl who seemed
older than any of the others outside.

"Yeth. It ith the greatetht day I ever thaw and I'm going to yell thome
more after I have my breakfatht," declared Tommy with an emphasis that
left no doubt in their minds as to her intentions.

"No, my dear young woman, this is Sunday," answered the previous speaker.
"You would do well not to forget it, unless you wish for a pleasant little
interview with Mrs. Livingston."

"There! What did I tell you, Tommy?" exclaimed Harriet.

"I don't care. It ith grand and I've got to make a noithe. Why don't they
thtop the birdth from making a noithe on Thunday, too?" retorted Grace as
the two girls walked slowly toward the cook tent with the eyes of the camp
upon them.

"Yes, she is a perfect fright," suddenly declared a voice that Harriet
recognized as belonging to Patricia Scott. "I should not think Mrs.
Livingston would permit her to parade about in that gown."

Harriet's face flushed, but she did not even turn her head. Tommy
fortunately had not caught the words, for which Harriet was thankful. She
knew that Tommy would have resented the remark and made a scene there and
then. The two girls entered the cook tent with some forty other girls
following on slowly behind them.




CHAPTER VIII

A DAY WITH AN EXCITING FINISH


The Camp Girls stood in groups waiting for introductions to the
Meadow-Brook Girls which they knew were to come. Mrs. Livingston performed
these introductions. As she did so, she explained the reason for the
disheveled appearance of the Meadow-Brook Girls, calling attention to the
pluck of Harriet Burrell in trying to stop the mad dash of the frightened
horse, for which, Mrs. Livingston said, an honor mark already had been
placed opposite her name. It was the true Camp Girl spirit, said the Chief
Guardian and they were proud to welcome her to their ranks.

The Camp Girls had been comparatively cordial to the newcomers since their
arrival. Now that they had heard of Harriet's pluck they were especially
so. They pressed forward with greetings so warm and friendly that the
Meadow-Brook Girls knew them to be sincere, and this made the four young
women feel at home on the instant. Harriet's face was still flushed from
Mrs. Livingston's praise and her eyelids were drooping modestly. Tommy,
however, was in her element. She talked incessantly, and even had to be
reminded that Mrs. Livingston was about to say grace. So absorbed did she
become in her own chatter that she did not observe that the whole table
was awaiting the conclusion of her talk for the more solemn duty of asking
grace.

Harriet thought she had never gazed upon a more attractive scene. Flowers
were arranged at intervals along each table. At each end of the tables sat
the guardians, generally college girls who had volunteered their services
for the summer. Then the rows of brown-faced, bright-eyed girls completed
the picture. There was practically no restraint placed upon the girls.
Most of the campers were well-bred young women who instinctively
distinguished between brightness and boisterousness. There was plenty of
gay laughter and bright repartee, in which the keen-witted college-girl
guardians occasionally took part. These college girls were both an example
and an inspiration to the younger girls of the camp. It was from one of
these young women sitting near her that Harriet learned what "honors"
meant in the camp. Every time a girl did something of merit she was
awarded an honor, these being bestowed in the form of colored wooden
beads.

In addition to this the girls were advanced in degrees. One day they might
themselves become guardians. It was all very attractive. There were many
duties for the girls to perform and many, many things to learn. Their days
Harriet discovered, were not wholly devoted to amusement, but to learning
woodcraft and other useful things.

"I am sure I shall never want to leave this wonderful place," cried
Harriet enthusiastically when the meal came to a close and the guardian
had bestowed an appreciative smile on her.

The work being cleared out of the way by the Workers, Mrs. Livingston read
from the Bible out in the open, with the girls sitting on the ground with
feet tucked under them. Over-head the birds sang sweetly, their voices
heard even above those of the girls when all joined in the singing that
followed the reading of the Scripture. Following this came a period of
relaxation and visiting during which the Meadow-Brook Girls began to
really get acquainted with their fellow campers.

The guardians, the four girls learned, had full charge of all forms of
recreation, so that when the guardian of Harriet's division proposed a
trip out into the woods, it was a virtual command. The walk was a saunter
among the trees, during which Miss Partridge gave them some lessons in
woodcraft, especially on how to find one's way about in the woods. It was
an extremely interesting talk to Harriet Burrell, though she already was
familiar with a number of the things Miss Partridge told her. Every one of
the girls who had been out on the tramp, returned with keen appetites for
luncheon which was served at half past twelve. Dinner on Sunday was served
at five o'clock, on other days it was served at six o'clock. At luncheon
Mrs. Livingston addressed the girls on the work and duties of a Camp Girl.
One part of her discourse gave Harriet a better idea of the purposes of
the camp than she had before known.

"We are a self-governing body," said the Chief Guardian. "For the benefit
of the newcomers among us I will say that our laws are not written laws.
Young women soon recognize that if we are to have a happy, wholesome camp
life, each girl must do her part well. The keynote of the whole summer's
work is service. The girls must be thoughtful for one another. I cannot
emphasize this too strongly.

"To be eligible to the second rank of your order a young woman must be
able to fulfil requirements such as these: She must be able to prepare two
meals without help or advice; must sleep with open windows or out of doors
for at least one month; must refrain from candy and soda for at least one
month; must know how to act when a person's clothing is on fire or when a
person has fallen into deep water, as well as what to do in case of
fainting.

"The honors," continued Mrs. Livingston, "are less easily earned. For
instance, any one of the following accomplishments will count as one point
in the favor of the girl who earns them: Be free from colds for two
successive months in the winter; be able to bring up some certain object
from the bottom in ten feet of water; to know and describe three kinds of
baby cries and what they mean; to commit to memory the preambles to the
Constitution and the Declaration of Independence; also Lincoln's
Gettysburg address. There are many more requirements that you young women
who have just become members of our camp, will learn from your associates.
I shall hope to see you not only reaching the next higher grade at an
early day, but winning honors as well," concluded Mrs. Livingston.

"Good grathiouth!" exclaimed Tommy in the brief period of silence
following the Chief Guardian's talk. She said it in a voice that was heard
by every one of the girls in camp.

A suppressed titter rippled around the tables. Mrs. Livingston looked
inquiringly at Tommy.

"Well, Miss Thompson, what is it?" questioned the guardian.

"I gueth I'll be an angel before I know all of thith."

The titter became a shout of merriment in which all the guardians joined.
Miss Elting knowing Tommy as she did, merely smiled, but Margery blushed
painfully. She felt humiliated for her friend. Tommy, however, had fully
established her reputation in that camp. In future nothing that she might
say or do would be taken seriously by her companions. Mrs. Livingston made
no effort to correct the girl. Instead she left that to the girls
believing that Tommy would leave the camp fairly well made over. She
understood that Tommy was merely a spoiled child, under whose apparently
thoughtless, almost impertinent manner lay the making of a charming,
lovable young woman.

While they were still at luncheon Jasper came into camp with the trunks
that he had brought in another wagon. He had found his horse, but the
animal had cut both legs severely and could not be driven for some time.
From the log road Jasper had dragged the trunks to the camp on a
two-wheeled cart. Tommy spied him plodding down the path pushing the cart.
She eyed him inquiringly. The girls set up a shout when they caught sight
of Jasper. He was popular in that he brought mail to them and sometimes
goodies from home.

"That ith Jath," nodded Tommy.

"You mean Mr. Jasper," corrected Miss Partridge.

"Yeth."

"Harriet pulled hith whithkerth latht night. Do you know what he thaid?"

"I can imagine that he was quite angry," answered Miss Partridge.

"Yeth I gueth he wath. He thaid, 'leggo my whithkerth, contharn ye!' Yeth
he did, didn't he, Harriet! Wathn't that awful?"

"Oh, Tommy!" begged Harriet.

It was a full minute before order was restored in the dining tent. At the
conclusion of the outbreak Mrs. Livingston gave the signal to rise and the
girls crowded out with flushed faces and laughing eyes, a group of them
surrounding Tommy, asking her questions in the hope that she might amuse
them with other funny remarks. This gathering was interrupted by the voice
of Mrs. Livingston.

"The Meadow-Brook Girls may go to their tents to arrange their outfits,"
she announced. "The trunks are in place. I suppose you will want to change
to your camp uniforms."

The girls assented eagerly. Tommy fairly flew over the uneven ground. She
caught her toe on the root of a tree, measuring her length on the ground.
She was up and off again unheeding the shouts of laughter from her
companions.

Each of the Meadow-Brook Girls was eager to get into her uniform. Tommy
was so excited that Harriet had to assist her in dressing. Then when this
had been accomplished Tommy swept up and down the tent, surveying herself
in the mirror from various different attitudes.

"How do you like me?" she demanded, squinting up at Harriet.

"You will do very well if you fix your hair. It looks frightful, Tommy.
You must spend more time with it. The way you wear your hair reminds me of
Crazy Jane."

"Oh, dear. I can't thpend the time to bother with it. I'm too buthy. You
do it for me."

"I will help you, of course, if you wish, but a Camp Girl should be able
to do such things for herself. Now you watch me do mine. While you are
watching, give your own hair a good brushing."

Harriet parted her hair in the middle in a very straight line, divided it
into four strands, which she wound into as many soft coils, two at the
nape of the neck and one on each side half concealing her ears. She pinned
it securely, then with artistic precision fluffed a few locks of hair
about her temples.

"There!" she said, turning a smiling face to her little companion who had
been observing her admiringly.

"I couldn't do that with my hair."

"I know that, dear. Your hair is not as thick as mine. Now let me see what
you can do with yours. It looks better now that you have brushed it out."

Tommy arranged herself before a mirror. She braided her light hair tightly
into a pig-tail, tying it about half way up with a black ribbon. Stray
ends, like the unraveled strands of a rope were left stringing down over
her ears, giving to her face a more impish expression than it had worn
before. She turned from the mirror in which she had been admiring her
handiwork, to meet the laughing eyes of her companion.

"How do you like me?"

"Oh, I don't know. At least it looks better than it did."

"Fine, ithn't it? Crathy Jane'th hair never looked tho well ath that. But
thith dreth ith a little too thombre for one of my age, don't you think?"
questioned Tommy wisely.

"I think they will forget all about the sombreness of the dress when they
see your happy face," answered Harriet. "Besides, it is the dress that
all the girls here are wearing. I call it a very pretty uniform. I hope
Margery had the buttons sewed securely on hers. If not she will burst them
all off the first time she stoops over."

"Yeth, Buthter ith too fat," agreed Tommy. "Thay, Harriet?"

"Yes?"

"I don't like Patrithia and Cora."

"You shouldn't say that. You hardly know them."

"I don't want to. Every time they look at me they laugh. I'll thay
thomething to them firtht thing they know."

"Please, please, Grace, never do anything of the sort. You might be sent
home for such a thing. You know what Mrs. Livingston said to-day about
girls being thoughtful for each other and always kind and helpful."

"Well Patrithia ithn't thoughtful or kind to me, ith thhe?"

"That is no reason why you should not be. Are you ready?"

"Yeth. Let'th go out and thtrut up and down."

"I am afraid you are a vain little creature, but you are a dear, Tommy,
just the same," laughed Harriet, giving one of Tommy's little pink ears a
mischievous pinch after which the two girls emerged from their tent arm in
arm.

The Camp Girls gathered about them. The plainness of the costume became
Harriet, but Tommy did not look quite herself. Her face appeared smaller
than ever, and her light hair was accentuated by the dark color of the
uniform. The little girl, however, soon forgot all about her personal
appearance in the enjoyment she found in talking with the other girls of
the camp.

There was little to be done on Sunday afternoon. Those who preferred to do
so might read. Others spent the time in lounging and visiting or strolling
among the great trees either putting into practice such wood-lore as they
had learned or discussing their own and camp affairs. Those girls who had
been to the camp before or held high rank in the association took it upon
themselves to instruct and be helpful to the younger and less experienced
girls. Harriet's love of nature and her frequent communions with it, made
her a popular pupil. About many things she knew as much if not more than
her instructors among the girls, but she carefully avoided setting up her
knowledge against that of her companions.

The day passed happily. After dinner the campers gathered about a cheerful
campfire where they spent the greater part of the evening listening to
Indian legends told to them by the guardians, relating interesting
experiences in their own lives, or exciting adventures, as the case might
be. Then came bedtime. The Meadow-Brook Girls were eager to retire. They
were equally eager to greet the coming day.

During the day just ended, they had passed scarcely a word with Patricia
and Cora. The former was a girl about Harriet's age, the latter a year or
two older. Cora was proud and haughty. In this respect she was unlike the
average Camp Girl, making the contrast, in Harriet's eyes, all the more
marked.

Harriet bade both girls a courteous good night as she turned in to her
cot. They were more slow to get to bed, and a guardian's voice reminding
them that it was then a quarter after nine, fifteen minutes past the time
when lights should be out, caused the two girls quickly to extinguish the
lantern that hung on the centre pole and seek their cots. Harriet in a
half doze realized that they were talking. She roused herself, not to
listen, but because they had disturbed her. But Harriet would not ask them
to be quiet. As for Tommy, that young woman was asleep almost the instant
she touched the cot. It will be recalled that she had had little sleep
during the previous night.

Then Harriet went to sleep with the whisperings of Patricia and Cora
reaching her but faintly. She recalled afterwards that when she roused
herself they were sitting on the edge of Patricia's cot.

As the night advanced the camp became dark and silent. Two or three
figures might have been seen stealing into the tent where the two
Meadow-Brook Girls lay sleeping, but their movements were so cautious and
stealthy that they did not awaken the sleepers.

There was sudden rush of feet, a smothered exclamation and a half cry of
alarm from Tommy's cot, then a struggle from Harriet's side of the tent A
few moments of silence followed, after which two forms with their heads
swathed in towels were led from the tent, one struggling with all her
strength to free herself from her captors, the other walking along without
a protesting word or action.

The camp slumbered on. Not a sound had reached the ears of the sleeping
guardians near at hand, nor had another Camp Girl been awakened. The
figures of captors and captives were swallowed up in the gloom of the
forest within a few moments.




CHAPTER IX

SOUNDING THE GENERAL ALARM


The instant a hand touched her cot Harriet Burrell was awake and sitting
up. But to her amazement she was thrown on her back, a towel was twisted
about her head by a pair of dexterous hands and her arms were pinioned at
her sides. At first she did not know what to make of this sudden attack,
then a warning whisper in a girlish voice brought understanding with it.
Harriet had been struggling with good prospect of getting free, but she
ceased her efforts at once upon coming to the conclusion that some of the
Camp Girls were playing a midnight trick on her. Harriet even assisted
them by obediently rising from her cot. A pair of rubber-soled tennis
shoes were quickly slipped on her feet. Her clothing, with the exception
of her camp uniform, was handed her and she dressed as best she could
under the circumstances. Then her bathrobe was thrown about her shoulders
and again the warning voice whispered to her to be silent.

The midnight intruders found Tommy, however, a most belligerent captive.
She struggled violently and made frantic efforts to scream out, until,
fearful of discovery, one of the mysterious visitors hastily seized
Tommy's clothing from her locker, another took charge of her bathrobe
while four of them marched the indignant little girl out of the tent and
away from the camp where she was forced into her clothes despite her
strenuous resistance.

"They are hazing us," thought Harriet as she was led away.

That was the plan. The hazers, now divided themselves into two parties.
One division took charge of Grace, while the other division proceeded in
the opposite direction with Harriet and after walking a short distance
came to a halt. The bath towel that was nearly suffocating Harriet was
partly removed from her head. A voice, plainly disguised spoke to her.

"Art thou prepared for initiation into the mysteries of the tribe of
Wau-Wau, my sister?" asked the voice.

"That depends upon what the initiation into those mysteries is. I don't
know whether I am prepared or not," answered the girl lightly.

"My sisters, is the fire extinguished and the hearth left in order?" asked
the first speaker.

"Even so."

"Then having been tried by fire, by the flame that thou wilt one day wear
upon thine arm it is meet that thou shouldst learn the touch of the enemy
of those flames. My sisters what is the enemy that defeats the flame?"

"Water," answered a muffled chorus of voices.

"Then, my sister, thou, having been tried by the fire, the fire that
burned at our feet this evening it is meet that thou shouldst now submit
to the final test. Below thee is a pool, a pool deep and dark wherein lurk
the water sprite and the wood nymph, waiting there to welcome thee."

Harriet now heard the ripple of water somewhere near at hand. She smiled.
Water, no matter how deep, held no terrors for her. She was an expert
swimmer. However, the night was cool and she knew that the water of a
forest stream would be a great deal colder.

"Hast thou yet earned the swimming honor?" asked the voice at her side.

"I can swim, if that is what you mean."

"It is well. The water sprites and the wood nymphs will lend wings to thee
in thy efforts to please them. But beware. The way is far and dark. A
bottomless pool lies far below thee. Art thou prepared?"

"Oh, yes, I think so. At least I shall be no better prepared in----"

Harriet Burrell did not complete the sentence. Her bathrobe was suddenly
snatched from her shoulders. Some one gave her a violent push from
behind. She leaped to save herself from falling, just what they had looked
for her to do. It seemed to Harriet that she must have fallen many, many
feet before she reached the water, which in reality was not more than
three feet below the spot from which she leaped. She struck the water with
a little gasp, then stood still for a second in bewilderment, as the water
rippled over her feet and ankles. The bottomless pool was not more than a
foot deep.

"Is that all?" she asked in a calm voice after she had recovered from her
first astonishment. "I hope you do not wish me to swim this stream. The
water is rather too shallow, even for me."

"Come, sister. Thou hast been tried in the waters of Wau-Wau and found not
wanting. A helping hand will meet thee where water meets earth and earth
meets water. Come."

Harriet did not seek the assistance of any one in getting out of the
stream, but a hand grasped one of hers and assisted her to the bank. The
girl felt herself enveloped once more in her bathrobe, and her captives
led her in what she shrewdly guessed to be the direction of the camp.

While all this was going on, the other party of hazers was holding Grace
Thompson captive not far from the stream to where Harriet had been
conducted. Wrapped in the folds of her bathrobe, the towel still bound
about her head and over her eyes, Tommy stood practically helpless in the
midst of her captors.

"My sisters," said one of the hazers, acting as the spokesman for that
branch of the initiation party. "What is the name of the Indian maiden
whose spirit guides this little sister?"

"Tommy, the Squirrel," was the prompt reply.

"Ah! Then being guided by the spirit of a squirrel, O little maiden, thou
shouldst prove thy prowess by climbing a tree. Ah! The tree is close at
hand. Climb, sister."

"I gueth not!" returned Tommy, in a threatening voice. "I'll thcream for
help."

"Shouting will avail thee nothing. No ears will hear. Climb and all shall
be well."

Tommy had her doubts about this latter statement. She knew how loudly she
could scream. She knew also that they were not very far from the camp
because she could now and then catch a flicker of the campfire through the
trees.

An idea occurred to the little girl and could her captors have looked into
her eyes they would have read there an expression of cunning that boded
ill for them.

"Will the Squirrel climb?" demanded the voice.

"Yeth, the Thquirrel will climb," she acquiesced, with surprising
docility. "Where ith the tree?"

"Just behind you."

Grace was turned about, her hands were placed against the trunk of the
tree, and the towel was suddenly removed from about her head.

The tree was a small one with limbs hanging low, almost within reach of
Grace Thompson's hands. Some one gave her a boost. Tommy took advantage of
it and with the help of the hazers clambered to the lower limb. In the
intense darkness she was unable to see clearly anything about her. Feeling
her way, cautiously, she climbed to the next limb. Her bathrobe, however,
sadly impeded her progress, but by determined efforts she managed at last
to reach the top of the tree.

"Come on up, girlth. It ith fine up here."

Tommy's courage was rapidly returning to her. Then again she could afford
to speak pleasantly to her captors for she was about to turn the tables on
them in a most unexpected manner.

"You're all 'fraid catth, 'fraid catth and I'm going to thhow you that you
are. In a minute I'm going to thcare you half to death. Now watch me."

Tommy did all she had promised to do, and just as Harriet and her captors
were moving toward the camp, Tommy uttered a wild, piercing cry. Then she
uttered another and still another. About that time half a dozen girls
might have been observed fleeing toward the camp. They were running as
perhaps they had never run before. Harriet was left standing alone on the
bank of the stream. She was too startled at first to realize what the
cries meant. All at once she discovered that the voice was Tommy's. But
Harriet was considerably puzzled, for there was not the least note of
alarm in the cries. They were intended solely to arouse the camp and cause
the downfall of the girls who were running for their tents. So far as
arousing the camp was concerned, Tommy's plan worked to perfection for
girls in every tent were tumbling out in alarm.

Then Tommy discovered that she was alone, and becoming alarmed at being
left out in the woods without company, she began to scream in earnest. At
the same time she endeavored to scramble down from her lofty position
scratching her hands on the projections of the tree in her hasty descent.
Suddenly she missed her footing. Her hands slipped from the limb to which
she had been clinging, and she felt herself falling. She did not reach the
ground, however, for the heavy cord confining her bathrobe at the waist
caught on a projecting limb of the tree, and Tommy dangled helplessly in
the air.

This time her screams were full of terror. Never before had such screams
been heard at Camp Wau-Wau. Off in the camp a bell was being frantically
rung. A general alarm was being sounded. Guardians clad in kimonos and
bathrobes were running toward Tommy and the tree that was holding her
prisoner. Camp Girls eager to distinguish themselves and earn a bead for
their bravery were not far behind the guardians, with promise of
outdistancing the latter if the race lasted long enough.

Guardians carried lanterns and here and there a girl was carrying a torch
that she had thoughtfully snatched from the fire as she ran along. Among
the torch bearers were Patricia Scott and Cora Kidder. They were among the
foremost of the girls to rush to the relief of the unfortunate Tommy.

No sooner had Harriet recognized the note of terror in Tommy's voice than
she sprang forward to go to her companion's assistance. She believed
something serious had happened to Grace.

"Where are you! Grace, oh, Grace!" cried Harriet.

Tommy, instead of answering, screamed the louder. Harriet, guided by the
sound of her friend's voice, groped her way to the tree from which Grace
was suspended, and after stumbling blindly about she finally succeeded in
reaching the base of the tree.

"Oh, Tommy, what is the matter?"

"I'm--I'm up a tree," wailed Grace.

"Why don't you come down?"

"I can't. I'm fatht."

"Be quiet. I'll climb up and release you," soothed Harriet, starting to
climb up the small tree trunk. "Some one is coming from the camp. I see
the lights. This is too bad. I was in hopes they might not know about it.
Now we shall never hear the last of it."

"I don't care if we don't. I want to get down," wailed Grace.

Harriet succeeded in, climbing the tree to a point where she could reach
out and touch her companion. Perhaps suspecting something of the truth,
Harriet moved very cautiously. She discovered what the trouble was almost
at once.

"Tommy I'm afraid when I loosen this cord that holds you you will fall,"
said Harriet.

"How far will I fall?" quavered Tommy.

"Only a few feet," replied Harriet. "You aren't more than six or seven
feet from the ground. The ground is soft. It's all moss and mold under
this tree."

"I don't want to fall," wailed the little girl "I want to thtay here.
Don't you dare touch me, Harriet Burrell."

"Then wait until the others get here. They are almost here now."

"There it is," cried a voice. Harriet thought the voice belonged to Miss
Elting. It proved to belong to Cora Kidder. "My gracious, girls what is
it?"

"It ith I," answered a plaintive voice from above their heads.

"Oh, oh, oh!" cried the girls as they gazed up at the limb of the tree
from where Tommy was suspended.

"Young woman what are you doing up there?" demanded Mrs. Livingston. "Are
you Miss Thompson?"

"I wath. I don't know who I am now, Mithith Livingthton. Pleathe help me
down."

"If you will stand below to catch her I think I shall be able to release
her," called Harriet from her perch in the tree.

Harriet had not been seen before in the darkness, screened by the foliage
as she was, Mrs. Livingston called to know who she was. Harriet gave her
name. Then the Chief Guardian directed that Harriet should release the
prisoner from her difficulty while several of the guardians stood in a
circle under the tree with arms outstretched ready to stop the fall of the
little figure hanging over their heads.

"Are you going to drop me?" questioned Tommy in great alarm.

"Yes, but it won't hurt you," answered Harriet.

"I don't want to. I----"

Tommy did not complete the sentence. Instead she finished with a scream as
Harriet unfastened the cord from the stub that had held it and with one
hand lowered Tommy into the arms of her friends. This Harriet did with one
hand, clinging with the other to one of the lower limbs of the tree. As
several of the girls held up their lanterns to aid the others in catching
Grace, there were exclamations of admiration at Harriet's exhibition of
strength.

"Who would think her so strong?" exclaimed a guardian.

"Harriet is as plucky as she is strong," answered Miss Elting.

So Tommy did not fall after all. Harriet had not been certain that the
cord would hold, hence she had requested the guardians to stand ready to
break the smaller girl's fall. After Tommy had been lowered, Harriet
swung herself down and joined the excited group below.

"Miss Burrell, kindly explain what you were doing in the tree?" demanded
the Chief Guardian.

"I went up to assist my companion."

"What was she doing there--how did she chance to be in the tree?"

"I do not know, Mrs. Livingston. Tommy will know. I was not there when she
climbed the tree. I heard her call and went to her assistance."

Mrs. Livingston did not say that Harriet's being near enough to hear the
call before any of the others had heard it, needed explanation. Instead
she turned to Tommy.

"Miss Thompson, what were you doing in the tree?"

"I wath hanging down."

"How did you get up there? Did some one lift you there?"

"I climbed. Then when I got up far enough tho they couldn't get me, I
yelled."

"So who could not get you?" questioned the Chief Guardian sharply.

"Oh, thome folkth that I wath taking a walk with through the woodth,"
answered Tommy lamely.

"Young women we will return to the camp," announced Mrs. Livingston. It
was a silent procession, except in the case of Grace, who kept up a
continual chatter without saying much of anything.

Most of the girls were aware that a serious offense had been committed and
that the morrow would be a day of reckoning. More than one girl in that
party was shivering as though from the chill night air. All crawled into
bed silently that night with expectations of trouble when morning came.




CHAPTER X

AROUND THE COUNCIL FIRE


Tommy's sprightly remarks failed to draw forth the customary laughter that
usually greeted them at breakfast that morning. The faces of most of the
girls wore serious expressions. Mrs. Livingston and the guardians were
grave, speaking in low tones when they spoke at all, as if to impress upon
all the Camp Girls the gravity of the previous night's occurrences. The
suspicion of a laugh was raised, however, by Tommy's remark toward the
close of the meal.

"I with thomebody would laugh," she complained with a queer little
grimace.

"You may laugh if you wish," answered the Chief Guardian pleasantly. But
somehow Tommy couldn't quite bring herself to do so.

Breakfast being finished the daily routine of the camp went on with its
accustomed regularity. Not a word had been spoken about the hazing of the
two new girls. The guardians were following some carefully laid plan, but
Harriet wondered that no inquiry was made. She had fully looked for a
searching investigation to take place immediately after breakfast. None
came.

The first work that the new girls were called upon to do was to gather
sticks from the forest for a campfire.

"A Camp Girl," Miss Partridge had told them, "should first of all know how
to build a fire, the campfire being the family fireside when one is in the
forest. It is the basis of the camp life. Being of the rank of Wood
Gatherers it is your duty to gather the fagots for your own fire."

The girls were instructed in the relative values of different woods as
fuel. They learned too that, as birch bark burned very freely, it should
be used in starting the campfire whenever available.

Having gathered the wood the girls were further instructed in piling it to
the best advantage, leaving an open space at the bottom of the pile so
that a draft might be created. Each girl was called upon to lay the wood
for the fire, then taught to light the fire either in windy or calm
weather. One of the leaders among the more experienced Camp Girls started
a second fire for them by rubbing two sticks together. She explained that
it required dry tinder for this purpose, something seldom found in the
woods.

By the time the lesson had come to an end the luncheon hour had arrived.
There was more conversation at this meal, though it was carried on in low
tones. The same depressing cloud that had been in evidence at the morning
meal, was still present. Harriet noticed, too, that Miss Elting had barely
spoken to Grace and her that morning. This hurt Harriet. She felt it
keenly, though Miss Elting's avoidance of the two girls was because she
did not wish either one to talk with her about the hazing. All inquiry as
to that offense must be left to the Chief Guardian. As yet the Chief
Guardian had made no move looking toward an inquiry into the doings of the
previous night so far as any of the girls knew.

About the middle of the afternoon, however, Harriet saw a large group of
girls gathered about a tree near the camp. The girls appeared to be
laboring under considerable excitement. She hastened over and after a
short time managed to elbow her way close enough to see what it was that
had so excited them.

Nailed to the tree was a piece of white bark. On it was written the
following order:

    "A Council Fire will be held this evening at eight o'clock. All
    Camp Girls will report promptly, in full ceremonial garb.

    "By order of the Chief Guardian."

That was all, but it was sufficient to set the tongues of the Camp Girls
wagging. Those who had been there for some time knew exactly what this
order meant. Harriet did not.

"Oh, there'll be a merry time in Camp Wau-Wau this evening," cried Cora
Kidder.

"Somebody will catch it," nodded Patricia. "Well, we don't have to cry. We
were in our little cots sound asleep, as we can easily prove. Do you
know," she confided in a lower tone to several of her companions, "I
shouldn't be at all surprised if there were more to this than you girls
dream."

"What do you mean?" asked one of the girls.

"I mean that there is something peculiar about the whole affair,"
continued Patricia. "What was there to hinder those two girls from going
out there in the woods and raising a commotion just to attract attention
to themselves? They have been posing ever since they arrived at Camp
Wau-Wau. Some folks like to be martyrs."

"Oh, I don't think that is possible," objected a girl. "They appear to be
such nice girls."

"Mind you, I am not saying that they did purposely raise a commotion,"
hastily explained Patricia. "I am simply saying that they might have done
so. However, we shall see this evening. I hope they will confess their
part in the affair and save us all from suspicion."

Harriet's face burned. She had overheard the entire conversation, though
she felt quite certain that it had not been intended for her ears. She
walked away with head erect, a look in her eyes that might have caused
certain of the young women in camp to feel apprehensive, had they observed
that expression.

Tommy hurried to the tree on which the notice had been posted a few
moments later. She turned up her nose after having read the order to be
present at the Council Fire and wanted to know if the Camp Girls were too
poor to buy paper. She said she had plenty of writing paper and declared
that she would offer it to Mrs. Livingston so the Chief Guardian would
not have to write her orders on bark in the future.

This brought a smile to the faces of those who heard it, and caused them
to exchange significant nods. Later in the afternoon, one by one, several
girls might have been seen entering the tent of the Chief Guardian, their
actions indicating that they sought to escape observation. They were not
wholly unobserved, however, for there were many pairs of bright, keen eyes
in Camp Wau-Wau, but those girls who did observe their companions enter
Mrs. Livingston's tent were discreet enough not to mention what they had
seen.

Dinner that evening brought with it an atmosphere of expectancy. It was
the still atmosphere before the storm when the fall of a knife or a fork
caused nearly every girl at the tables to start nervously. Just before
darkness descended four Fire Makers had piled wood on the Council Fire
until it blazed brightly throwing out considerable heat and a light that
reached far in among the trees.

One by one the girls began to appear from their tents, clad in their
ceremonial costumes. These were of khaki colored galatea cloth. They were
trimmed with fringes of genuine leather, shells and beads. About her neck
each girl wore a string of gayly colored beads. Some of the strings
contained more beads than others, for each bead represented an "honor"
fairly earned by the girl who wore it. On the sleeve of each Camp Girl's
costume was worked an emblem. On those of the Wood Gatherers were the
crossed logs; on the arms of the Fire Makers might be seen the orange and
gold colors representing fire. On the sleeves of the Torch Bearers, the
third grade, a dash of white was added, representing smoke from the
flames.

The Meadow-Brook Girls, however, could not appear in ceremonial costume,
at the Council Fire. Hazel, Margery and Tommy had been measured for their
costumes and were now awaiting them. Harriet had ordered the goods for
hers at a cost of a dollar. Upon the arrival of the goods she intended to
make her own costume. Harriet was an accomplished little needle woman. Not
having their ceremonial dresses ready for the occasion was a keen
disappointment to the Meadow-Brook Girls.

As the other Camp Girls emerged from their tents they stood about in
groups awaiting the arrival of the Chief Torch Bearer.

"There she comes!" cried a voice.

Glancing down the camp street Harriet saw a young woman slowly advancing
toward her. As she passed the tents the girls in the ceremonial dress
fell in behind. The leader held above her head a blazing torch and as she
moved slowly forward she chanted:

    "Blazing torch on high now lifted
     Flame with magic power now gifted
     Flicker, flicker, flicker, flame;
     Burn, fire burn!"

It was a weird, but interesting scene. Harriet was so engrossed in
watching it that she forgot to fall in with the procession when it came
her turn to do so. Some one tugged at her skirt, bringing her to an
understanding of what she should do.

[Illustration: The Chief Torch Bearer Led the Way.]

The Torch Bearer led the way to the end of the camp street, then turning
marched slowly to the campfire where she laid the torch upon the ground
then made the hand sign of the early Indians, the fingers of the right
hand laid across the fingers of the left with the first finger of the
right hand slightly raised. The crossed fingers were to indicate crossed
logs and the slightly raised forefinger of the right hand represented the
curving flame rising from the burning logs. This sign was returned by the
Chief Guardian. Then the two turned, facing the girls of the camp who were
standing in a semi-circle about the fire. To them, the Chief Guardian
and the Torch Bearer made the hand sign which was answered in the same way
by all of the Camp Girls.

"Thith giveth me the thiverth," whispered Tommy, groping for Harriet's
hand.

Harriet warned her to be quiet. Then at a gesture from the Chief Guardian
the girls sat down cross-legged on the ground. It had been not only an
unusual ceremony to the Meadow-Brook Girls, but an impressive one. The
real interest, however, was in what lay before them. Harriet had no idea
what was to be done, though she had learned from the stray words that had
been dropped in her presence, that the purpose of the Council Fire was to
make an inquiry into the events of the previous evening, perhaps ending in
the dismissal of one or more girls from the camp. This thought made
Harriet Burrell serious and thoughtful. She was trying to decide upon the
course that she ought to follow. But she had little time to consider this.
She heard her name called.

"Miss Harriet Burrell will please step forward to the Council Fire," was
the order from the Chief Guardi