four
o'clock tea at school, after which meal Miss Bishop, who seemed to have
spent most of the day at the telephone, announced that arrangements were
now completed, and that they must get ready to start. Great was the
excitement when at five o'clock a motor char-a-banc made its appearance.
The sixteen "contacts" and Miss Huntley took their places, their
hand-bags, which had been sent from their respective homes during the
course of the day, were stowed away with the rest of their luggage
inside a motor 'bus, and the company, feeling much more like a picnic
party than possibly infected cases, drove merrily away for their period
of quarantine.

CHAPTER XI

The Open-air Camp

If this particular Friday had been an exciting day to the girls of
V.a., it had certainly proved a most agitating one to the
Medical Officer of Health for Seaton. Upon his energy and organization
depended the prevention of a serious epidemic in the city, and he had
shown himself admirably able to cope with the sudden emergency. The
Corporation had lately set up a camp for children threatened with
tuberculosis, and this was commandeered by Dr. Barnes as a suitable
place for quarantine. It lay five miles away from Seaton, on the top of
a hill in a very open situation in the midst of fields, so was
excellently fitted for the purpose. The children under treatment there
had been hurriedly taken back to their homes in Seaton, extra beds and
supplies had been sent out, and a hospital nurse installed in charge, so
that all was in readiness when the char-a-banc arrived.

The Camp consisted of a long wooden shelter or shed, the south side of
which was entirely open to the air. The boarded floor was raised about
three feet above the level of the field, and projected well beyond the
roof line, thus forming a kind of terrace. Inside the shelter was a row
of small beds, and a space was curtained off at either end, on one side
for a kitchen and on the other to make a cubicle for Miss Huntley.
Outside, under a large oak tree, stood a table and benches. Nothing
could have been more absolutely plain and bare as regards furniture. The
girls took possession, however, with the utmost enthusiasm. The idea of
"living the simple life" appealed to them. Who wanted chairs and chests
of drawers and wash-stands? It would be fun to sleep in the shelter, and
spend the whole day out of doors.

"It's too topping for anything!" declared Marjorie Kemp, after a careful