instead to roll their blankets in their ponchos and pile them up
together. A shriek of joy went up from the girls. "What is it,
Nyoda, a canoe trip?"

Nyoda shook her head. "You'll see," was all she would say.
Immediately she was surrounded by the girls clamoring to be told
where they were going. "I surrender," she said, laughing at
Migwan, who was embracing her feet in supplication, "we're going
hunting."

"Hunting what?" clamored the chorus.

"Oh, adventures and such things," said Nyoda in an off-hand
manner.

"Where are we going?" "How are we going?" "When are we going to
start?" shouted the girls from all sides.

Nyoda put her hands over her ears and tapped for silence with her
foot. "One at a time, please, ladies, and I will endeavor to
answer any questions that may come into your minds," she said in
her best lecture-room manner.

"Oh, Nyoda, tell us," begged the girls.

"Having your kind permission to speak," resumed Nyoda, "I will
try to state the case briefly. Now then, one, two, three! We're
going to Balsam Lake!"

"It's a hike!" shouted Sahwah, turning a handspring.