the Cameron party were to travel. One of the railroad officials had
lent his own coach to the Cheslow merchant, and he and his party had
the car to themselves.

There was a porter and a steward aboard--both colored men; and soon
after the train started odors from the tiny kitchen assured the girls
and boys that they were to have luncheon on the train.

"Isn't it delightful?" sighed Heavy, gustily, in Ruth's ear. "Riding
through the country on this fast train and being served with our
meals--Oh, dear! why weren't _all_ fathers born rich?"

"It's lucky your father isn't any richer than he is, Jennie Stone!"
whispered Madge Steele, who heard this. "If he was, you'd do nothing
but eat all the livelong day."

"Well, I might do a deal worse," returned Heavy. "Father says that
himself. He says he wishes my reports were better at Briarwood; but
he can't expect me to put on flesh and gain much learning at the same
time--not when the days are only twenty-four hours long."

They all laughed a good deal at Heavy, but she was so good-natured
that the girls all liked her, too. What they should do when they
reached Snow Camp was the principal topic of conversation. As the
train swept northward the snow appeared. It was piled in fence
corners and lay deep in the woods. Some ice-bound streams and ponds
were thickly mantled in the white covering.

Mr. Cameron read his papers or wrote letters in one compartment;
Mrs. Murchiston was the girls' companion most of the time, while Tom