bluntly.

"Nor can I blame you," agreed Miss Elting. "But this is not the
surprise."

"Maybe if we wait we will fall into thome more pondth," suggested
Grace. "Ith your thurprithe ath wet at thith one wath?"

"I admit your right to tease me, Tommy," laughed the guardian.

"Come on, everybody!" urged Harriet. "We must walk briskly and keep it
up. That will be the only way to keep us from catching cold as a
result of our wetting." Having paused for a moment to discuss their
situation the girls began tramping once more. As the hours dragged
along all became weary and drowsy. Their joints were growing stiff,
too, which condition was not improved by the chill of the night air.
Most active of all the party was little Tommy Thompson, who skipped
along, talking incessantly. Margery was scarcely able to keep up with
the party. Twice she leaned against a tree, closing her eyes, only to
fall to the ground in a heap. Harriet, though nearly as tired and
footsore as her companions, summoned all her will power and trudged
bravely along.

Had the Meadow-Brook Girls not been so well seasoned to hardship,
serious results might have followed their unexpected bath in the chill
waters, followed by their exposure to the searching night wind. But
they were healthy, outdoor girls, as all our readers know. The first
volume of this series, "THE MEADOW-BROOK GIRLS UNDER CANVAS,"
told the story of their first vacation spent in the open, when, as
members of Camp Wau-Wau in the Pocono Woods, they served their