nfortunate. I am awfully sorry, girls. I am afraid you will wish you
hadn't accepted my invitation."

"Yeth. I with I'd thtayed at home," piped Tommy. She was very frank about
it. There was no beating about the bush with Grace Thompson.

"This time you will have to walk whether you wish to or not," jeered
Buster. "I don't want to walk, but I am willing to for the sake of seeing
you do something you don't like for once. Just think, you will have to
walk five miles, Tommy Thompson."

"Five mileth?"

"Yes."

"Oh, thave me! I won't. I'll thtay right here till Jathper getth another
horthe."

"Very well," smiled Miss Elting. "You may remain here until he comes for
you sometime to-morrow morning. Jasper, when the young women have their
bags ready you will take two of them. We shall manage with the rest of
the things very well, I think," she added sweetly.

Jasper obeyed meekly after glancing at the determined face of the
guardian.

"We shall have to leave some of our belongings here. I suppose they will
be perfectly safe?" she questioned.

Jasper grunted sourly.

Tommy stood observing the preparations for their departure, her alert eyes
taking in everything. Especially did she eye Miss Elting, but the
expression on the face of the latter told Grace nothing. Jasper dragged
down the canopy top, surveyed it ruefully; then kicked it aside with a
grunt of disgust.

"I gueth you'd like to kick the horthe too," observed Tommy.

Jasper gazed at her, started to say something, then checked himself.
Margery and Hazel giggled. The man finally picked up the bags and stood
sullenly waiting. Miss Elting and Harriet also carried suit cases, the
other girls taking small packages with them. Tommy stood leaning defiantly
against a tree.

"Good night, Tommy," called Miss Elting sweetly. "Keep out from under the
trees, if a thunder storm should come up during the night." Harriet, Hazel
and Margery suppressed their giggles. Tommy held her position, standing
with head thrust forward, eyes narrowed, face drawn into sharp wrinkles.

"Oh, we oughtn't to do it," whispered Hazel.

"Never mind, dear," replied Miss Elting. "You don't think for an instant
that Grace will remain behind, do you? This is one of several little
lessons that we shall teach her this summer."

They walked on swiftly, for darkness had now overtaken them. All at once
they heard a plaintive little wail behind them. A small figure came flying
down the log road.