eshead this summer!" said the old gentleman. "I think that Barbara
is renewing her youth. Tom is a man of distinction, and yet keeps to his
queer wild ways. You are sure that Barbara quite understands about our
wishing them to dine here? I think this camping business is positively
foolish conduct in a person of her age."

But Miss Marcia Drummond looked wistfully over her shoulder at the
cat-boat's lessening sail, and wished that she too were going to spend a
night under the pines.

A little way up the river they passed the packet boat, a little belated
and heavily laden, but moving steadily.

"Look at old Step-an'-fetch-it," said Seth. "She spears all the little
winds with that peaked sail o' hern. Ain't one on 'em can git by her."
They kept company for a while, until in the broad river bay above
Riverport bridge the Starlight skimmed far ahead, like a great white
moth. Seth mentioned that folks would think they was settin' up a navy
up to Tideshead, and just then the Starlight yawed, and the boom threw
Seth off his balance and nearly overboard, as much to his own amusement
as the rest of the ship's company's. Betty and Mary Beck stowed
themselves away before the mast, and wished that the sail were longer.
The sun was low, and the light made the river and the green shores look
most beautiful. Miss Leicester suggested that they should sail a little
farther before going in, and so they went as far as the next reach, a
mile above the camp, on the accommodating west wind. It was a last puff
before sundown, and by the time Harry had anchored the Starlight in
deeper water than before, her sail drooped in the perfectly still
evening air.

Once on shore everybody was busy; the spruce and hemlock boughs must be
arranged carefully for the beds and the tents pitched over them before
the August dew began to fall. Mr. Leicester was chief of this part of
camp duty, and Miss Barbara, who seemed to enjoy herself more every
moment, was allowed by the girls to help, just that once, about getting
supper. It was growing cool and the fire was not unwelcome, but by and
by a gentle wind began to blow and kept away the midges. Betty began to
think that there would be nothing left for breakfast by the time supper
was half through, but she managed to secrete part of her cherished buns,
and reflected that it would be easy to send to Riverport for further
supplies even if breakfast were a little late. Betty felt a certain care
and responsibil