me over; I joost come over.'"

"But she's really a ministering angel, you know," said Billie, "sent to
do the washing and ironing and scullery work. Except for cooking meals,
we expect to take life easy from now on."

And so, right gladly, they had carried Alberdina Schoenbachler over the
twenty-five miles of mountain road and established her in Sunrise Camp.

"I think she is the very person we needed, Cousin Helen," Billie said.
"Not accomplished, you know, or trained in any way, but good enough for
camping. And there is no reason now why we shouldn't take the trip to
the lower lake if you feel well enough. The weather is perfect."

"Do you think we ought to leave her on the first day?" Miss Campbell
replied somewhat doubtfully.

"Why not? She has enough to occupy her, goodness knows, with all that
washing."

"But suppose she should get lonely or frightened--?"

Just then a melodious Swiss yodel broke the stillness of the early
morning and Billie laughed.

"She isn't going to be lonesome. She is accustomed to the mountains. Do
let's take a holiday, Cousin Helen, please," and with Miss Helen's
assent, Billie rushed off to find the others and tell the good news.

Perhaps some people would regard it as a fault in Billie's character
that, having formed a plan, she was always filled with wild impatience
to carry it out. But when we consider that Billie's plans concerned the
pleasure and entertainment of other people and that her impatience was
only another form of earnest enthusiasm, it would be difficult to
criticise her.

While three of the Motor Maids busied themselves preparing the luncheon,
Billie and Ben worked over the motor car, putting it in condition for a
long trip, and Percy, in blue overalls, washed the body of the car.

"I am so glad to save you this drudgery," he observed, with an
ingratiating smile.

"You're not half as glad as we are, Percival Algernon," answered Ben.
"It's a double blessing, because it's good discipline for you and it
gives us a chance to show how much we know about machinery."

"Don't boast, my son. You may have a sure enough chance before the sun
sets," remarked Percy in the tone of a prophet.

"After you have washed him off well, rub him down with those cloths,"
ordered Billie from under the car. "Then stow the rubber curtains inside
and see to the lights. It may be late before we get back."

"All right, Captain," answered Percy respectfully.

It was still not nine o'