observers."

"Any of you would have done the same," she said when surrounded by a
bevy of admiring schoolmates.

"That's what you always say," exclaimed Nora. "But let me tell you
I should have been in hysterics if I had been left alone in the dark
twelve miles from nowhere."

Judge Putnam did not at once make his plan known to Grace. He called,
thanking her and complimenting her on her bravery and presence of mind.

"I shall have something to ask you when school closes, my dear child,"
he said as he rose to go. "Something that concerns you and your friends,
and you mustn't say 'no' to an old man."

"What on earth does he mean?" said Grace to her chums, as she repeated
the judge's words. "I shall be eaten up with curiosity until school
closes."

"Wish to goodness it was over now," growled Nora O'Malley. "I don't
believe the last of June will ever come."

The morning after commencement, eight highly excited girls gathered on
the Harlowe's veranda. Grace had received a note from Judge Putnam
requesting that the Phi Sigma Tau call upon him at ten o'clock that
morning.

"Do hurry," said Jessica, as they neared the judge's beautiful home.
"The sooner we get there the sooner we'll know."

"Good morning, young ladies," said the judge, bowing with old-time
gallantry as James ushered the eight girls into the library. "You look
like a garden of roses. There's nothing like youth; nothing like it. Sit
down and make yourselves comfortable while I tell you why I asked you to
come and see an old man."

"You are just like Mrs. Gray, Judge," said Grace, "always imagining
yourself old, when you know you're just a great big boy."

"Very pretty, my dear," chuckled the judge. "But if I am as young as you
say, then I must do something to keep young. Now, the way I propose
doing it is this: I have a camp up in the Adirondacks that needs
attention, so I wrote my youngest sister about it and she agrees with
me. She is going up there this week with a couple of servants to open
the bungalow and put it in readiness for eight girls who call themselves
the Phi Sigma Tau, providing their fathers and mothers can spare them
for a few weeks. Do you think they will care to go?"

"Oh-h-h-h! How lovely!" breathed the eight girls in concert.

"Care to go? Well I should say so. It will be the greatest lark ever,"
cried Grace.

"If you know any young men who can make themselves useful, we might
invite them. I don't like the idea of being the