t?" they demanded.

Percy seated himself at the supper table, while Nancy poured out his
coffee and Billie served him with ham and eggs.

"Well, I asked a man the way and he said, 'Are you a doctor?' I said,
'Not yet, but soon.' Then he showed me a road and told me there was a
very sick woman in a house at the top, and would I call and see what
could be done. You may imagine my feelings when I found that the road
led straight to an old ruined hotel, and there wasn't a human being in
it as far as I could see nor any sign of one. So I got on my cycle and
went back down the mountain until I found a sign board that put me on
the right track again. But it was queer, wasn't it, and rather uncanny,
too."

It was a strange experience, and after supper they sat under the stars
discussing it until bedtime, and came to the conclusion that Percy had
met a crazy man.

Never had Miss Helen Campbell slept so well as she did that night on the
sleeping porch. Toward morning there came a quiet life-giving rain that
freshened the parched earth and brought out the pungency of the pine
trees. Only Mary knew of the shower and of the soft wind that followed
just before dawn, bearing with it the fragrance of the wet woods. Only
Mary saw the miracle of the dawn; first the faint flush of pink; then a
deep rosy blush; next, rays of orange and gold, and at last the sun
bursting into view. It was Mary who softly let down the bamboo blinds to
keep out the sunlight and who finally slipped back to bed and went to
sleep with the songs of innumerable forest birds in her ears.

CHAPTER III.

RULES AND REGULATIONS.

At six o'clock they were awakened by a long, melodious trumpet call. The
vigorous tripping melody drove the sleep from their brains like a dash
of cold water. Billie found herself sitting up in bed humming:

"'Oh, come to the stable,
As soon as you're able
And feed the horses grain.
If you don't do it
The Captain will know it
And raise particular Cain.'"

It was an energetic summons to rise and view a fresh and beautiful
world, and Billie, glancing at her watch, was aware that, as a
concession to new arrivals, the summons had come half an hour later
than scheduled. Half-past five was to be the hour for rising in camp,
provided the ladies were willing. And certainly they showed no signs of
unwillingness at the six o'clock call. Miss Campbell glanced placidly
down the line of white cots. Then she inh