Laura Lee Hope

“ Amy had torn her skirt on a barbed wire fence and the rent was sewed up beside the road.
The clouds seemed to be gathering more thickly, and with rather anxious looks at the sky the members of the Camping and Tramping Club hastened on.
"Girls, we're going to get wet!" exclaimed Mollie, as they passed a cross-road, pausing to look at the sign-board.
"And it's five miles farther on to Broxton!" said Amy. "Can we ever make it?"
"I think so—if we hurry," said Betty. "A little rain won't hurt us.
These suits are made to stand a drenching."
"Then let's walk fast," proposed Grace. ”

“ Broxton," said Betty. "But would it be wise?"
"Indeed not!" exclaimed Grace, as she glanced down at her trim suit, which the little wetting received in the dash to the house had not spoiled. "If we were boys we might do it, but, as it is—"
"I won't admit that we can't do it because we are not boys," said
Betty. "Only just—"
"Only we're just not going out in this storm!" ”

“ Betty asked.
"Yep, a lot nearer. Come on; I'll show you as far as I'm goin'," and the boy started off as though the task—or shall I say, pleasure?—of leading four pretty girls was an every-day occurrence.
"We never can get there before dark," declared Mollie.
"Oh, yes, we will," said Betty, hopefully. "We can walk faster than this."
"If you do I'll simply give up," wailed Grace. "These shoes!" and she leaned against a tree.
And to the eternal credit of the other girls be it said that they did not remark: "I told you so!"
Silently and unconcernedly, the snub-nosed boy led them on. ”

“ They had been going along at a good pace, and were practically certain of reaching Grace's sister's house in time for supper.
"It's raining!" suddenly exclaimed Betty, holding up her hand to make sure.
A drop splashed on it. Then another. Amy looked up into the clouds overhead.
"Oh!" she cried. "A drop fell in my eye."
Then with a suddenness that was surprising, the shower came down hard.
Little dark spots mottled the white dust of the road.
"Run!" cried Mollie. "There's a house. We can stay on the porch until the rain passes. The people won't mind." ”

“ There was not a sound save that caused by the storm, which seemed to increase in fury instead of diminishing.
"There is no one here," went on Betty positively. "We are all alone in this house."
"But where can the people be?" asked Grace. "They must be people living here," and she looked around at the well-kept, if somewhat old-fashioned, parlor.
"Of course the house is lived in—and the people must have left it only recently," said Betty. "That's evident."
"Why did they go off and leave it?" asked Mollie.
"That's the mystery of it," admitted Betty. ”

“ For school was out.
"Betty Nelson, the idea is perfectly splendid!" exclaimed the tallest of the quartette; a stately, fair girl with wonderful braids of hair on which the sunshine seemed to like to linger.
"And it will be such a relief from the ordinary way of doing things," added the companion of the one who thus paid a compliment to her chum just in advance of her. "I detest monotony!"
"If only too many things don't happen to us!" This somewhat timid observation came from the quietest of the four—she who was walking with the one addressed as Betty.
"Why, Amy Stonington!" ”

“ If he understood the allusion he gave no sign of so doing.
"What's the game, Sis?" asked Will, quizzically.
"Why, it isn't anything very elaborate," explained Betty, as she finished her soda. "It occurred to me that, as school closes exceptionally early this year, some of us girls could go for a two weeks' tramping tour before our regular summer vacation."
"And we're all in love with the idea," declared Amy.
"Twenty miles a day is our limit," added Mollie, smiling behind the youth's back.
"Twenty miles!" faltered Percy. "You never can do it—never!"
"Oh, yes, we can," said Betty, assuredly. ”

“ We can take lunch wherever we find it most convenient, but we'll make Rockford at dusk, I hope."
"I certainly trust so," said Mollie. "A night on a country road—never, my dear!"
"The next night we'll stop in Middleville," went on Betty, "at Amy's cousin's house. From there to Broxton, where Grace's married sister will put us up, and then, in turn to Simpson's Corners—that's my uncle, you know—to Flatbush, where Grace's mother's niece has kindly consented to receive us; on to Hightown, that's Mollie's aunt's place; to Cameron—that's where we'll go to the camp that Mr. Ford's half-brother runs." ”

“ CHAPTER XI THE BARKING DOG Disappointment, and not a little worriment, held the four girls silent for a moment. Then Betty, feeling that it was her place to assume the leadership, said:
"Are you sure, little boy? A man told us, at the last dividing of the roads, to take the left, as that led to Rockford."
"Well, he didn't know what he was talking about," asserted the little chap, with the supreme confidence of youth. "To get to Rockford you've got to go back."
"All that distance?" cried Grace. "We'll never make it in time." ”

“ Run! We'll be drenched!" cried Grace, thinking of her new walking suit. Without more ado the girls hurried through the gate, up the gravel walk and got to the porch just as the rain reached its maximum. It was coming down now in a veritable torrent.
"Queer the people here don't shut their door," remarked Betty.
"And see, the rain is coming in the parlor window," added Amy.
"Maybe they don't know it," suggested Grace. "Oh, the wind is blowing the rain right in on us!" she cried.
"I wonder if it would be impertinent to walk in?" suggested Mollie. ”

“ Most of the girls remained, however, for few had brought rain coats or umbrellas, there being no hint that morning of the deluge that was to come. Then the rain gradually slackened, and the pupils departed.
"Don't come to school to-morrow, if you don't feel well," urged Miss
Greene, as Amy and her chums left.
"Oh, I'll be all right," she brightly answered.
"I wish we were going to start on our tramp to-morrow!" exclaimed Betty as they walked along the damp country road toward their homes, the sweet smell of the newly-watered earth mingling with the scent of grass and flowers. ”

“ CHAPTER IX OFF ON THE TOUR "How do we look?"
"Don't you think these skirts are too short?"
"Isn't it fine to have—pockets?"
"Oh, Grace Ford! You'll never be able to walk in those shoes! Girls, just look at those French heels!" It was Amy who spoke.
"They're not French!" declared Grace, driven to self-defense. "They're a modified Cuban."
"Not enough modification, then; that's what I say!" exclaimed Mollie, the three expressions which opened this chapter having come from Betty, Grace and Amy, respectively. "They're of the French—Frenchy, Grace, my dear!" ”

“ Nor were the other girls concerned with anything save the finding of the five hundred dollar bill, which absorbed everything else for the time being.
"Who could have lost it?" wondered Mollie.
"There aren't so many persons in Deepdale who can afford to throw away money like this," added Amy.
"It wasn't thrown away—it was lost," declared Betty, "and we must find the owner if we can."
"Especially after such a pathetic message," said Grace. "Poor fellow! His last big bill!"
"What makes you think it was a man?" asked Amy.
"That isn't a girl's writing," insisted Grace. ”

“ They won't be mean enough to turn us out, I think."
"We'll stay—and get supper," cried Betty. "Come on, I'm getting hungrier every minute!"
"If the people do come," remarked Amy, "they ought to allow us something for taking care of their house—I mean if they attempt to charge us as a hotel would, we can tell them how we shut the windows—"
"At so much per window," laughed Mollie. "Oh, you are the queerest girl!" and she hugged her.
"Well, let's get supper," proposed Betty again. "It will soon be dark, and it isn't easy going about a strange house in the dark." ”

“ We ought to begin gradually. That is the way all athletes train."
"Oh, then we are going to be athletes?" asked Amy.
"Walking athletes, at least," responded the leader. "Now, girls, if any of you feel like resting at any time, don't hesitate to say so. We want this to be an enjoyment, not a task, even if we are a regular club."
So perfect was the day, and in such good spirits were the girls, that even the simplest sights and happenings along the highway brought forth pleased comments. ”

“ Oh, Mollie!"
"Oh, Mollie!" mocked the negligent one. "If you say that again—that way—"
Her temper was rising but, by an effort, she conquered it and smiled.
"I am truly sorry," she said. "Girls, I'll do anything to make up for it.
I'll run back and get the lunch—that is, if it is there yet."
"Don't you dare say it isn't!" cried Betty.
"Why can't we all go back?" suggested Amy. "Really it won't delay us so much—if we walk fast. And that was a nice place to eat. There was a lovely spring just across the road. I noticed it. ”

“ Deciding to eat, at least on this first day of the tramp, a lunch of their own providing, rather than go to some restaurant, country hotel, or stop at a chance farm house, the girls had brought with them packages of food, and the alcohol stove for a cup of tea, or some chocolate.
"This looks to be a perfect place for our picnic," said Betty, as, on passing a farm, they saw the plow-horses unhitched and led under a tree to partake of their hay and oats. "It must be noon by that sign," went on the Little Captain, confirming her guess by a glance at her watch. "It is," she said. ”

“ She made the girls royally welcome, as did her husband. Grace's shoes had been sent to her at Rockford, having been telephoned for.
"But if we stay another day and night here," said Betty, "not that we're not glad to, Aunt Sallie—why we can't keep up to our schedule in walking, and we must cover so many miles each day."
"You see it's in the constitution of our club," added Grace. "We can't violate that."
"Oh, come now!" insisted Mr. Palmer. "You can stay longer just as well as not. As for walking, why we've got some of the finest walks going, right around Rockford here. You'd better stay. ”

“ That seemed the extent of Mollie's vocabulary just then.
"Climb a tree," was the advice of Grace.
"Is he coming? Is it coming after us?" Amy wanted to know.
She glanced over her shoulder as she put the question, and there nearly followed an accident, for Amy was running, and the look back caused her to stumble. Betty, who was racing beside her, just managed to save her chum from a bad fall. All the girls were running—running as though their lives depended on their speed. Luckily they wore short, walking skirts, which did not hinder free movement, and they really made good speed. ”

“ The question and comments took place in the court of the High School, just before the bell was to ring for the morning session.
"It's all Betty Nelson's doings," declared Alice, who had often tried to make herself more intimate with the quartette of friends, but unsuccessfully. The other girls did not care for these two.
"Yes. Grace, Mollie and Amy will do anything Betty tells them," asserted Kittie.
"I don't see why she is so popular. She hasn't a bit of style about her."
"I should say not! Her skirt is entirely too wide, and her blouse never seems cut right." ”

“ We can get breakfast and supper at our friends' or relatives' and at noon we can go to restaurants, or to houses along the way. Why, we can even take a little camping outfit with us, and make coffee on the road, carrying sandwiches, too."
"Fine!" cried Amy and Mollie.
"Make chocolate—not coffee," begged Grace.
"Well, chocolate then," assented Betty. ”

“ And as the rain pelted down, the girls sat about, the cat purring contentedly near them, and a cheerful fire burning on the hearth in the parlor.
"I hope they won't make a fuss about the liberties we are taking," said Mollie, putting some extra sticks on the blaze. "Some persons never open their parlors in the country."
"These people don't seem of that sort," said Amy. "At least, the parlor was open enough when we closed the windows."
"And how it rains!" murmured Grace, with a little nervous shiver.
"Suppose the people come back in the middle of the night?" asked Mollie. ”

“ But then I always have been fond of walking—out in the country especially. Only it isn't so much fun going alone. So it occurred to me that you girls would like to join. We can take a nice long tramp the first opportunity we get."
"Just us four?" asked Grace.
"No, not necessarily. We can have as many members as we like."
"I think four is a nice number," spoke Amy. She was rather shy, and not given to making new friends.
"We four—no more!" declaimed Mollie. "Suppose we do limit it to four, Betty?"
"Well, we can talk of that later. And I do so want to talk of it. ”

“ The girls were quite wet. The boat was harder than ever to row.
"That plug ought to be floating somewhere hereabouts," she murmured.
"It's probably caught in a crack, or under one of the seats," said Mollie. "Hurry up, Betty. The hole is right near where you were feeling that time."
"Yes, you can see the water bubbling up," added Amy. "Oh, do hurry, or we'll sink!"
"Well, then we can swim," said Betty, coolly. "It's a good thing we all know how."
"But—in our clothes!" protested Amy.
"Oh, I guess we can do it if we try," went on Betty. ”

“ We could make tea—"
"Little comforter!" whispered Betty, putting her arms around the other. "We will all go back. The day is so perfect that there's sure to be a lovely moon, and we can stop somewhere and telephone to your cousin if we find we are going to be delayed. She has an auto, I believe you said, and she might come and get us."
"Stop!" commanded Mollie. "We are a walking club, not a carriage or auto club. We'll walk."
"Then let's put our principles into practice and start now," proposed Grace. "We'll have a good incentive in the lunch at the end of this tramp. Come on!" ”

“ What's worrying me is that we can't get to any place to spend the night—we can't have any supper—we—"
"Girls!" cried Betty, with sudden resolve, "there is only one thing to do!"
"What's that?" the others chorused.
"Stay here. We'll get supper here—there must be food in the house. If the people come back we'll ask them to keep us over night—there's room enough."
"And if they don't come?" asked Amy, shivering a little. ”