d opened one eye. Quick-witted, Tommy had not
missed the little scene. Harriet wanted to laugh, but instead her face
wore a grave expression as she listened to Mrs. Livingston explaining how
they were expected to air their blankets out in the open in the morning,
then after breakfast make their beds and care for their tents.
Each girl had a locker, this being nothing more than a series of hooks set
into the lower ridge plate of the tent, and on which they were supposed to
hang their clothes. A curtain covered this locker or clothes press. There
was one washstand for each pair of girls. They provided their own towels.
In the case of the Meadow-Brook Girls, their towel rack was empty, but
each had a pair in the suit cases, together with other necessary toilet
articles.
Miss Elting had been left to look after Margery and Hazel. Mrs. Livingston
remained in the tent with Harriet and Tommy, until they had prepared for
bed and finally tumbled into their cots. Then the Chief Guardian bade each
of them good night.
"Pleasant dreams, my dears," she said, and left the tent taking the
lantern with her, leaving the interior of the place in darkness. For a few
moments the two girls lay quiet, then Harriet heard Tommy calling to her
in a loud whisper.
"What is it!" asked Harriet.
"I'm afraid."
"Afraid of what?"
"Everything. It ith tho thpooky in here. Thay, can't we lock the door?"
"There is no door to lock. Don't whisper so loudly. You will awaken the
other girls," warned Harriet.
"May I come over in your bed?"
"Indeed you may not. Tommy, do go to sleep. I can hardly keep my eyes
open."
Silence reigned in the tent for several minutes, then Tommy began another
plaintive whisper.
"Thay, Harriet."
"Oh, Tommy, please," begged Harriet. "What is the trouble?"
"I'm afraid."
"There is nothing to fear. What are you afraid of?"
"Bearth."
"There are no bears in this part of the country. I'm ashamed to see you
such a coward."
"You can't thee me at all. It ith too dark," retorted Grace. "What ith
that? Thomebody whithpered."
Harriet Burrell did not answer, for she was sound asleep by this time.
Tommy lay there staring into the darkness until her eyelids grew heavy.
They drooped and drooped, finally closing over her eyes altogether. But
she had no more than dropped into a doze when she came to a sitting
posture wide awake. Something had disturbed her. Something was moving in
the tent and she could almos
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