told us it was about a two-hours' hike!" said Ruth, shaking her
head at Mr. Gilroy, as if in despair of saving his soul.

"Well, so it is, when the boys are in a hurry to get to the bungalow."

"We've been five hours coming, and had to stop for lunch along the way,
too," said Judith, eager to talk about the beefsteak.

The boys stared. "Why, you were to have dinner with us! Didn't Mr.
Gilroy tell you that?"

"Yes, but we couldn't wait so long. We're ready for more dinner, now,"
said Joan.

"What did you cook for luncheon?" asked Alec, the oldest boy in the
Troop.

"Oh, only a beefsteak-mushroom and a scout-twist," returned Julie,
nonchalantly.

The boys exchanged glances. "Did you find the mushrooms along the way?"
asked another boy named Bob.

"Sure! Did you think they came preserved?" laughed Joan.

"No, but _we_ have never found any on this side of the hill. Bob often
goes out to hunt, but so far we've never seen any," explained another
boy, Ned Thompson.

"When we go back, you can go with us a ways, and we will show you where
we found the ones we had for luncheon," said Betty.

"Is dinner ready, boys, or will there be time to show the girls about
the camp?" asked Mr. Gilroy.

"Show them about, as it will take us ten minutes more to finish
everything in style," replied Alec.

So the girl scouts were invited to pass judgment on the fine camp the
boy scouts had made. Everything was neat as wax, and the boys had
constructed many convenient articles from wildwood material only.

"Last year we had eight boys in camp, but this season only four could
come in the beginning; so they have lots of room in their big tee pee.
When the other boys come out, they will have to make another tent. They
made and water-proofed this one themselves," explained Mr. Gilroy,
showing the visitors the fine big tent.

"They built this dining-room, too, to use if the weather is very bad. I
told the boys about your corduroy floor that you made in your huts last
summer, so they tried it here with very good result."

The girl scouts now saw their own idea put into use in a different
manner. The log floor was hard and dry, but at each corner rose a stout
pole, and upon the tops of the four pole ends was stretched a canvas
roof, making a shelter underneath.

"Girls, we ought to do the same thing, to use for meal time when it
rains, or if the rays of the sun are too hot," observed Mrs. Vernon.

Mr. Gilroy then pointed out to the