"Is it, Nyoda?" asked Migwan.

Nyoda nodded. "That's it. We're going to hike through the woods
to Balsam Lake, which is a distance of about twelve miles, camp
there for the night, and return to-morrow by another route."

"O Goody!" cried Sahwah, hopping up and down on one foot, "when
are we going to start?"

"The first two will start at ten o'clock," said Nyoda.

"The first two!" echoed the girls. "Aren't we all going
together?"

Then Nyoda outlined her plan. Believing that the girls would
collect more adventures by going in pairs instead of all
together, besides the fun of following a trail marked out by
leaders, she had arranged the girls two by two. The first pair,
who would be the pathfinders and blaze the trail for those coming
after, would leave at ten o'clock, the next pair twenty minutes
later, then the next, and so on. Their ponchos would be brought
in a wagon over the main road and left for them; they would buy
their supplies for supper and breakfast at the last village they
passed through. Their lunches, they would carry with them. The
first two were to buy potatoes and start the fire and put them
in, while the rest would bring the other supplies.

"Who and who are going to be partners?" demanded Sahwah.