"'Patience on a monument,'" quoted Betty, looking at the two on
the stump.

"Which one?" asked Mollie with a laugh.

"We'll divide the virtues between us; won't we, Amy?" exclaimed Grace,
putting her head on the other's shoulder. "Now I'm--"

"The sleeping beauty!" supplied Betty, "Do come on!" and after a little
argument, in which Grace insisted that she had not had more than a
minute's respite, the four started off again. They were approaching the
outskirts of the town in the vicinity of which they all lived.

"If this weather keeps up we can't start off on our tramping and camping
trip any too soon," remarked Grace.

"When can we arrange for it?" asked Amy. "I think it is the nicest idea I
ever heard of."

"You can all come over to my house to-night," suggested Betty. "We can
make some plans then, perhaps."

"Let's, then!" cried impulsive Mollie. "But do you really intend to do
any camping, Betty?"

"Yes, if we can. Of course not for any length of time--say a night or
two. There are one or two places where camps are open the year
around, and all you have to do is to go there and board, just as you
would at a hotel."