been reassured that morning in
an interview with the proprietor of the Compton House.

At noon, their appetites sharpened by the bracing air and the fact that
they had eaten an early breakfast, the party made a halt. The horses
were unhitched and allowed to graze beside the road. The guide built a
fire, Harriet and Jane in the meantime getting out something for their
luncheon, which was to be a cooked one instead of a "cold bite."
Hazel, Jane and Margery spread a blanket on the ground, while Tommy sat
on a rail fence, offering expert advice but declining to assist in the
preparations.

It was a merry meal. Even Janus was forced to smile now and then, the
driver making no effort to conceal his amusement over the bright
sallies of the Meadow-Brook Girls.

"Come! We must be going, unless you want to camp beside the road
to-night," urged the guide. The girls had finished their luncheon and
were strolling about the field.

"Why, we haven't thettled our dinner yet," complained Tommy.

"You'll have it well settled in less than an hour. The road from here
on is rough," returned Janus. "You'll be wanting another meal before
the sun is three hours from the hills."

"We want to pick some wild flowers," called Margery.

"Girls, don't delay us! The driver wishes to get back home to-night
and we must reach the camping place in which Mr. Grubb has planned for
us to spend the night," warned the guardian.

"Yes, we've got to hike right along," agreed Janus. "Hook up those
nags and be on the way, Jim," he added, speaking to the driver.

It was only a short time until they were on the way again. The country
was becoming more sparsely settled, the hills more rugged and the
forests more numerous. Here and there slabs of granite might be seen
cropping up through the soil; in the distance, now and then, they were
able to catch glimpses of the bare ridges of the mountains toward which
they were journeying.

"Those mountains," explained the guide, "are called 'The Roof of New
England.' There's not much of any timber on top, but on the sides you
will find some spruce, yellow pine and hemlock. It's all granite a
little way under the subsoil; and over the subsoil grows moss. Among
these mosses and the roots of the trees almost every important stream
in New England takes its rise, and some of them grow to be quite decent
rivers. You ladies live in this state, don't you?"

Miss Elting nodded.

"I am afraid we never rea