"Margery!" rebuked Hazel severely. "That wasn't a nice thing to say. That
shows a selfish spirit. If Harriet were here I know she would tell you the
same thing. I am sure you didn't mean it that way."

"Harriet wouldn't," protested Buster. "She doesn't put on a solemn face
and read people lectures. No, Hazel Holland, she doesn't do anything of
the sort. There's some one coming," exclaimed the girl, suddenly changing
the subject.

"I see her. It is Miss Elting," answered Hazel, her eyes growing bright.
"She is coming up to see us, I do believe."

"Yeth, it'th Mith Elting," decided Grace, screwing up her little face and
looking inquiringly at the newcomer who was leisurely making her way along
the road in their direction. 441 wonder what she wantth."

"Miss Elting is coming up to join us, of course," replied Hazel. "And you
see if she doesn't have something fine to suggest. Harriet is going to
miss something, I know."

Miss Elting was one of the younger teachers in the Meadow-Brook High
School, a leader in the girls' sports and very popular with them. But of
all the pupils in the school her favorites were perhaps the four girls to
three of whom the reader already has been introduced. Miss Elting called
them "The Little Big Four." The young teacher exerted a great influence
over the four Meadow-Brook Girls; she had been especially helpful to
Harriet and a closer relation than that of teacher and pupil existed
between the two. Both were passionately fond of Nature. They loved the
fields, the woods and the waters and many a care-free happy hour they had