"Mother loves watercress," she conceded, "and I would go, if we
are sure to be back by five. I have to go call for the mail before
dark."

"Oh, goody-good!" sang out Grace. "Now I can surely get my nature
work all nicely covered. I'll tell Madaline. She is over there
coaxing Cleo," and with a risky flourish of her red tie, a hop,
skip and a jump, the Tenderfoot pranced across the big green
schoolyard, in a fashion that belied her limitations on the
tenderfoot basis.

"Yes, I'll go," Cleo was agreeing, "but I am afraid we can't get
Captain Clark. I know she is going out to Kingsley to form a
troop. Maybe we can get Lieutenant Lindsley. She is free from
Normal at four. They have a lecture after two-thirty almost every
day."

"Oh, Lieutenant Lindsley would be lots of fun. She knows
everything in hill and dale, and is not afraid of snakes or cows.
But do you think we should notify the other girls? It is rather
hard to get in touch with them in time," Grace ranted on.

By this time Margaret and Madaline had joined the group, and now
all the scouts in seventh and eighth grammar grades were
discussing plans for the precipitous hike. There were Mable Blake,
also a tenderfoot, Adaline Allen and Mildred Clark, second grades,
and the McKay twins, first class scouts. All of these willingly
agreed to make the foot trip out to the Falls.