bby protested.

"Where's the wash-basin, Blue Bonnet? I saw you with it when we were
packing," said Sarah.

Blue Bonnet clapped a hand to her brow. "I think I put it in with the
frying-pan."

"Are you sure it isn't in the bread-box?" Kitty asked.

"I wouldn't be sure it isn't." Blue Bonnet began a hasty search in the
camp-wagon. Box after box was rummaged through, utensil after utensil
picked up hopefully, only to disappoint when brought to the surface.

"There's no help for it," declared Debby, "we'll have to go and wash
in the creek."

"Why, there may be campers below," said Sarah in a shocked tone, "and
they wouldn't like to--"

"You needn't draw a diagram, Sarah," interrupted Blue Bonnet. "A word
to the wise, you know. I'll polish off with cold cream." And she
vanished.

Sarah, armed with towel and soap emerged from her tent a few minutes
later and made her way through the willows to the creek. Blue Bonnet
spying her called tauntingly: "Campers below!"

"I'm only going to wet one corner," Sarah went on calmly.

"Which corner--northeast or southwest?"

"Of the towel, of course." Then a minute later she called, "Girls,
come quick!"

There was an immediate stampede to the creek.

"What is it--lions?" asked Amanda.

Sarah pointed without speaking. There, bending over an old tree-stump,
admirably fashioned for a wash-stand, was the Senora calmly washing
herself--in the basin.

"I found it here all ready for us," she explained. "And see--here's a
nail on this little tree ready for a mirror, and branches just made to
hang towels on."

"Alec and Knight haven't left a thing for me to see to," remarked Blue
Bonnet. "I'm going to stop worrying."

"Oh, you were worrying, were you?" asked Kitty. "We'll know the
symptoms next time."

The washing-up that ensued was very animated, if not thorough. Taking
turns at the basin the girls, wincing under the cold water, "polished
off" the top layer of dust; brushed ruffled locks and retied ribbons;
dabbed talcum on noses and straightened creased middies. They were
just putting on the finishing touches when the sound of cow-bells,
rung lustily and long, came from the direction of the other Camp.

"That must be the dinner-bell," said Blue Bonnet. "I hope they won't
expect us to have dainty appetites just because we're girls!"

A moment later Alec and Knight appeared to escort them in state.
Midway they were met by Mr. and Mrs. Judson,--the latter with two
small b