The Sherwoods lived in a little cottage on Amity Street in
Tillbury. Bess Harley lived with her parents and brothers and
sisters in the same town; but they were much better off financially
than the Sherwoods. Mr. Sherwood was a foreman in the Atwater
Mills, and when that company abruptly closed down, Nan's father was
thrown out of work and the prospect of real poverty stared the
Sherwoods in the face.

Then the unexpected happened. A distant relative of Mrs. Sherwood's
died, leaving her some property in Scotland. But it was necessary
for her to appear personally before the Scotch courts to obtain
Hughie Blake's fortune.

Circumstances were such, however, that her parents could not take
Nan with them. It was a hard blow to the girl; but she was plucky
and ready to accept the determination of Momsey and Papa Sherwood.
When they started for Scotland, Nan started for Pine Camp with her
Uncle Henry, and the first book of this series relates for the most
part Nan's exciting adventures in the lumber region of the Michigan
Peninsula, under the title of: "Nan Sherwood at Pine Camp; Or, the
Old Lumberman's Secret."

As has been mentioned, Nan and her chum, Bess Harley, had come to
Lakeview Hall the previous September. The matter of Momsey's
fortune had not then been settled in the Scotch courts; but enough
money had been advanced to make it possible for Nan to accompany
her chum to the very good boarding school on the shore of Lake
Huron.