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.

"Thave me! I'm tho afraid," pleaded Tommy, darting up beside Miss Elting
and snuggling against her.

Then the Meadow-Brook Girls laughed. The woods rang with their laughter.
They expressed no sympathy for Tommy. They were agreed that she had
learned a good lesson. Tommy pouted, but clung closely to the guardian.
About this time a halt had to be made while Harriet attended to the skirt
of her gown that had been badly torn by the brush. Her companions assisted
her in pinning it up. While absorbed in this task they had forgotten all
about Jasper. They discovered his absence quite suddenly when Miss Elting
raised her voice in a loud hello to him.

No answer came back.