en return to this spot, or near it. We can get the
information we want after we learn more of the camping possibilities of
this neighborhood and can talk intelligently when we begin to make
inquiries."

"And when we get back," Hazel added, "we'll go to some neighboring house
and ask all about who lives here and who lives there, and, of course,
we'll be particular to ask the name of the family where that icy bottle
of perfume lives."

"That's the very idea," Katherine agreed enthusiastically. "But we
haven't any time to waste, for it is nearly 12 o'clock now, and we have
only a little more than an hour to work in if the motorboat arrives on
time. We'd better not try to walk a mile--half a mile will be enough,
maybe a quarter--just enough to enable us to talk intelligently about
the lay of the land right around here."

They walked north along the road nearly half a mile, found a path which
led directly toward the lake, followed it until within view of the
water's edge, satisfied themselves that there were several excellent
camping places along the shore in this vicinity and then started back.
They had passed three or four cottages on their way and at one of these
they stopped to make inquiries as planned.

A pleasant-faced woman in comfortable domestic attire met them at the
door and answered their questions with a readiness that bespoke
familiarity with the neighborhood and acquaintance with her neighbors.
Katherine and Hazel experienced no slight difficulty in concealing their
eager satisfaction when Mrs. Scott, the woman they were questioning,
said:

"The people who have the cottage just north of us are the Pruitts of
Wilmington, those just south of us are the Ertsmans of Richmond, and
those just south of the Ertsmans are the Grahams of Baltimore, I think.
I am not very well acquainted with that family. I am sure we would be
delighted to have a group of Camp Fire Girls near us and you ought to
have no difficulty in getting permission to pitch your tents. This land
along here belongs to an estate which is managed by a man living in
Philadelphia. He is represented here by a real estate man, Mr. Ferris,
of Twin Lakes. He probably will permit you to camp here for little or
nothing."

The girls thanked the woman warmly for this information and then hurried
away.

"We don't need to call at the Graham cottage now," Hazel said as they
hastened back to the road. "We have all the preliminary information that
we want. T