The Meadow Brook Girls Across Country Part 17

George shook his head.

"There are too many of us. We'll eat you out of house and home."

"There's lots more stuff to eat in the automobile," declared Jane hospitably. "You wait till I unload the real supplies."

She dragged out a hamper. It was filled with good things to eat, and what particularly pleased the boys, was the unexpected invitation to eat with their new found friends.

Though the girls were tired and exhausted from their trying experiences in the swamp, it proved a happy evening. It was decided to remain in camp all next day to rest. Strangely enough Captain Baker announced that they too had already concluded that they needed a rest. He said they would do some foraging next day, and bring the girls some good things to eat to pay them back for what they had eaten and for the exciting ride Jane had given them.

Miss Elting smiled knowingly. The tramps appeared to be gentlemanly boys, however "full of mischief" they might be.

It was ten o'clock when the Tramp Club said good night and set out for their own camp.

"Now, children, go to bed at once," directed the guardian. "We have had excitement enough for one day at least."

The girls agreed with her, and half an hour later the camp had settled down for the night.

CHAPTER XI-A CONTEST OF ENDURANCE

"Forty-nine blue bottleth were hanging on the wall," muttered Tommy in her sleep, as Miss Elting and Harriet stepped into their tent at eight o'clock the next morning, after having finished their inspection of the camp. The rest of the Meadow-Brook Girls were still sleeping soundly.

"Poor Tommy," smiled the guardian.

"What is Tommy muttering about forty-nine blue bottles?" questioned Harriet.

The guardian laughed merrily.

"I had the girls say that doggerel about the forty-nine blue bottles while we were stuck fast in the mud. You see, I wished to keep their minds from their troubles. We repeated the song until we were so hoa.r.s.e we could scarcely speak."

"I noticed that when I returned, but thought you had all caught cold. So it was forty-nine blue bottles that made you so hoa.r.s.e," laughed Harriet. "I think you deserve the real credit of the rescue. Had you not done what you did to keep up the spirits of the girls there might have been a different ending," declared Harriet Burrell with emphasis. She kissed the guardian impulsively, than stepping softly, to avoid waking her sleeping companions, she made her way outside the tent. Shading her eyes and gazing about she finally discovered a brown-clad figure sitting on a fence. He evidently was observing the camp, for, when he caught sight of Harriet, he waved his hand.

"I'll wager that's Captain Baker," smiled Harriet, waving back to him.

"He is a peculiar young man. We are under great obligations to them all, but those boys think girls are of no account. We are going to clash with them. I know we are."

Harriet poked the fire and built it up until a cloud of smoke was ascending skyward. It was not a skilfully made fire, but Harriet had a purpose in making a great smudge that morning. She wished to show the tramps that the girls had just gotten up and were not yet ready to receive company. She had construed Captain Baker's action in watching the camp as being for the purpose of learning when the Meadow-Brook outfit was ready to see them. As the girl cast frequent glances across the fields she saw the other members of the Tramp Club scattered about not far from their own camp, though all of the boys kept a respectful distance from the camp occupied by the girls.

Breakfast was out of the way and the camp of the Meadow-Brook Girls put to rights by ten o'clock. The travelers felt somewhat lame and stiff after their experience in the swamp. Tommy walked with a distinct limp, which Harriet accused her of putting on for effect.

"I'm not pretending," protested Tommy indignantly. "I gueth you would walk like I do if you had been fatht in the mud motht all night."

Harriet laughed good-naturedly.

A halloo out back of the camp cut short any further argument. It was Captain Baker with his fellow "tramps."

"Is it too early in the morning to make our party call?" shouted George.

"No. Come right along," called Harriet cordially. "We got up rather late this morning. Didn't I see you sitting on the fence off yonder?"

"Yes, I was watching for a woodchuck to come out. Fellows, you've all met Miss Burrell, I think. And Miss Thompson."

"Yeth I met them in the thwamp," lisped Tommy.

Miss Elting came out, her face wearing a radiant smile of welcome for the tramps. Their hats were off instantly. She insisted on shaking hands with each of the boys in turn.

"I suppose you have had your breakfast?" smiled the guardian.

"Breakfast!" exclaimed Davy Dockrill. "Yes. We men eat our breakfast at six o'clock. We aren't like girls, who take their breakfast in place of luncheon."

"And eat cookies between meals," laughed Harriet. "How many miles do you walk a day?"

"Oh, a lot," answered George airily.

"How many?" persisted Harriet.

"Well, maybe ten, fifteen, twenty miles, maybe more."

"I'll wager that you take a ride now and then," interjected Tommy.

"We don't. We walk, I tell you."

"We aren't like girls, who have to stop and rest every half mile or so,"

declared Will Burgess.

"And get stuck in the mud," laughed Fred Avery.

"That'll be about all, boys," reproved Captain Baker, frowning. "I told you these boys were full of mischief. But you mustn't mind them," he added apologetically.

"Oh, we don't mind them at all," smiled Harriet.

"When are you going to start out again?"

"Not until some time to-morrow morning," answered Miss Elting. "We are all a little lame and tired to-day."

The captain nodded gravely.

"Yes; girls can't stand as much as boys when it comes to hard work like a week or so of walking," he said with an air of conviction.

"Yeth they can," resented Tommy. "Girlth can walk jutht ath far in a day ath boyth can."

"You've got to show us before we can believe that," declared Davy.

"Very well; we will show you," answered Harriet quietly. "Name your conditions."

"Do you mean it?" questioned George.