stopped by the fence?"

"We just went on over, Dad. You know nothing can stop a Meadow-Brook
Girl when she is once well started on a course. We landed on plowed
ground on the other side of the fence."

"Mercy!" exclaimed the Chief Guardian.

"Can anything hurt you, girls?"

"I hope not," answered Harriet. "This was a little sudden, but we
didn't mind it so very much, did we, Miss Elting?"

"I don't know who you mean by 'we,' but please do not include me in
this particular 'we.' I am not over the shock of that plunge yet, nor
do I expect to be for some hours to come. I fear the car is ruined,
Mr. McCarthy. I hope you will not send another one down here for Jane,
if you will pardon my saying so." This from Miss Elting.

"That's all right, Miss Elting. I am not going to send another car at
present. Perhaps when you young folks are ready to go home I may send
a car for you, but I may give you a driver. For the present I've got
something else in my mind. I had to wait until I asked Mrs. Livingston
about it before I put it through. She thinks it will be fine. She will
tell you all about it at dinner to-day."

"There goes the dinner horn now," announced the guardian of the
Meadow-Brook Girls. "Girls, you are not presentable. Hurry and get
ready for dinner. We mustn't be late to-day, of all days."

It was really marvelous that the girls were able to work such a
transformation in themselves in so short a time. In the few moments
that had been left to them they had rearranged their hair, brushed the
dirt of the plowed field from their clothing and washed their faces
and hands. It was really a jolly dinner, too, for the good-natured
guest kept them all laughing with his humorous stories and odd
remarks. He was so much like his daughter Jane that they had no need
to be reminded of the relationship.

"This has been a day of excitement, hasn't it?" remarked one of the
guardians to Miss Elting. "Buried treasure, automobile wrecks,
visitors, mysterious strangers. Gracious me! what are the Camp Girls
coming to?"

"I don't know. Did Mr. McCarthy say what the surprise is that he has
in store for the girls? I thought perhaps he might have said something
about it during our absence on that automobile ride."

"Not that I heard. He undoubtedly told Mrs. Livingston. There, she is
speaking now," added the guardian.

Mrs. Livingston had risen and rapped on the table with a knife for
attention.

"Our guest and good friend, Mr. Mc