had left the train at
Jamesburg, from where they were to be conveyed by wagon into the woods.
Miss Elting was directed to a three-seated buck-board wagon. Jasper, the
handy man about the camp was on the driver's seat. He was an old man who
said little. It was rumored that three seasons spent at Wau-Wau had
thoroughly subdued him.
"What about the trunks?" asked the young woman.
"Fetch 'em to-morrow," he answered tersely.
Tommy regarded the slender looking buck-board apprehensively.
"Buthter better walk," she decided. "The wagon won't hold her."
"Now, now, Tommy, do stop teasing Buster. If the wagon goes down Margery
will go down with it," answered Harriet laughingly.
"And she will fall a great deal harder than will you," added Miss Elting,
at which there was a merry laugh.
It was late in the afternoon when they finally climbed into the buck-board
which sagged in the middle until all the girls began to grow apprehensive.
They started away along a country road a gay party, indeed, but Harriet
noted that horse and driver were not well matched. The horse she could
plainly see was young and fractious, and she wondered what the old man
would do should the animal prove unmanageable. Their driver, however,
appeared to have perfect control over the animal, so Harriet dismissed the
disturbing thought from her mind and prepared to enjoy the ride.
The drive to the camp was fully twenty miles. Having come by train they
had covered nearly twice the distance that would have been necessary had
they driven direct from Meadow-Brook. The fields through which they were
driving were green, the air was fresh and fragrant after a shower that had
fallen earlier in the day and the girls in the buck-board wagon were in
high spirits.
"I'll tell you what, girls," cried Harriet after they had sung all the
songs they knew and discussed the country through which they were passing
until the latter subject had been worn out. "I'll tell you what we ought
to have."
"Ith it thomething nithe?" questioned Grace.
"It is a yell, Tommy."
"A yell? I can yell."
"I don't mean it in that way. Something like a high school or a college
yell. We are the Meadow-Brook Girls, you know. We have a name, now we must
have a yell."
"Oh, Mith Elting, give uth a yell, a loud one," urged Tommy, her eyes
sparkling.
Miss Elting smiled tolerantly.
"You had better arrange one to suit yourselves," she answered. "Harriet,
you will have to provide
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