oking
like quilts and pillows. Every lady had a waterproof and every man an
umbrella, and the talk was of "tents," and "division meetings," and "the
morning boats," with stray words like "Fairpoint" and "Mayville" coming
in every now and then. These two words, the girls knew had to do with
_their_ hopes; so they began to feel revived.

"I actually begin to think there is some foundation for Eurie's wild
fancies after all," Marion whispered, "or else this is another party of
lunatics as wild as ourselves; but they are a large and respectable
party; I'm rather hopeful."

In two minutes more the railroad official who speaks in the unknown
tongue yelped something at either door, and thereupon everybody got up
and began to prepare for an exit.

"Do you think he said Mayville?" questioned Eurie with a shade of
anxiety in her voice. She had been the leader of this scheme, and she
felt just a trifle of responsibility.

"Haven't the least idea," Marion said, composedly gathering her
wrappings; "it sounded as much like any other word you happen to think
of as it did like that, but everybody is going, and Flossy and I are
determined to be in the fashion so we go too."

At the door dismay seized upon Flossy. A light drizzly rain was falling.
Oh, the lavender suit! and her waterproof tucked away in her trunk, and
everybody pushing and trying to pass her.

"Never mind," Marion said, with utmost good nature, "here is mine; I
haven't any trunk, so it is handy; and it has rained on my old alpaca
for ages; can't hurt that, so wrap yourself up and come along, for I
believe in my heart that this is Mayville."

"This way to the Mayville House," said the gentlemanly official,
touching his hat as politely as though they had been princesses. Why
can't hotel subordinates more often show a little common politeness?
This act decided the location of these four girls in a twinkling; they
knew nothing about any of the hotels, and, other things being equal,
anybody would rather go to a place to which they had been decently
invited than to be elbowed and yelled at and forced. Water and rest and
tea did much to restore them to comfort, and as they discussed matters
in their rooms afterward they assured each other that the Mayville House
was just the place to stop at. A discussion was in progress as to the
evening meeting. Miss Erskine had taken down her hair and donned a
becoming wrapper, and reposed serenely in the rocking-chair, offering no