ver is better the farther north she gets. On the day we
were leaving, Mr. Ostermaier came to see us.

"I--I really must protest, ladies," he said. "That sort of thing may be
all right for savages, but--"

"Are we not as intelligent as savages?" Tish demanded.

"Primitive people are inured to hardships, and besides, they have
methods of their own. They can make fire--" "So can I," retorted Tish.
"Any fool can make a fire with a rubbing-stick. It's been done in
thirty-one seconds."

"If you would only take some matches," he wailed, "and a good revolver,
Miss Letitia. And--you must pardon this, but I have your well-being at
heart--if I could persuade you to take along some--er--flannels and warm
clothing!"

"Clothing," said Tish loftily, "is a matter of habit, Mr. Ostermaier."

I think he got the idea from this that we intended to discard clothing
altogether, for he went away almost immediately, looking rather upset,
and he preached on the following Sunday from "Consider the lilies of the
field.... Even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of
these."

We left on Monday evening, and by Tuesday at noon we were at our
destination, as far as the railroad was concerned. Tish had a map with
the lake we'd picked out, and we had figured that we'd drive out to
within ten miles or so of it and then send the driver back. The lake was
in an uninhabited neighborhood, with the nearest town twenty-five miles
away. We had one suitcase containing our blankets, sandals, short
dresses, soap, hairpins, salt-box, knives, scissors, and a compass, and
the leather thongs for rabbit snares that we had had cut at a harness
shop. In the other suitcase was the tepee.

We ate a substantial breakfast at Tish's suggestion, because we expected
to be fairly busy the first day, and there would be no time for hunting.
We had to walk ten miles, set up the tent, make a fire and gather nuts
and berries. It was about that time, I think, that I happened to recall
that it was early for nuts. Still there would be berries, and Tish had
added mushrooms to our menu.

We found a man with a spring wagon to drive us out and Tish showed him
the map.

"I guess I can get you out that way," he said, "but I ain't heard of no
camp up that direction."

"Who said anything about a camp?" snapped Tish. "How much to drive us
fifteen miles in that direction?"

"Fifteen miles! Well, about five dollars, but I think--"

"How much to drive us fifteen miles