ly on the tent
pole. The flap was drawn quickly back. Mrs. Livingston welcomed the
wanderers warmly.

The camp life of the Meadow-Brook Girls had really begun. Its activities
and excitement were to begin within a few hours from the time of their
arrival.

CHAPTER VI

TAKING THEIR FIRST DEGREE

"But my dears," cried Mrs. Livingston, a sweet-faced, motherly woman.
"What could have occurred?"

It was not strange that she should express amazement, for the condition of
the clothes of the Meadow-Brook Girls would have attracted attention
anywhere. She stood back surveying them anxiously. All were more or less
disheveled. Tommy's blonde hair had fallen about her shoulders in tangled
locks; Margery had burst most of the buttons off her blouse when she fell
over Jasper; Harriet's blue gingham frock had been sadly demolished on her
journey at the end of the rein behind the frightened horse; Hazel found
difficulty in keeping her hair out of her face; besides which, both she
and Miss Elting looked tired and worn.

"We had an accident," explained Miss Elting. "But we overcame all
difficulties finally."

"I'm the only one that wath overcome," lisped Grace. "It wathn't the
difficultieth, it wath mythelf. And, Mithith Livingthton, Harriet pulled
out some of Jathperth whithkerth. Wathn't that funny?"

"You had better leave the explanation to me," suggested Miss Elting, who
then went on to explain what had occurred on their journey to the Pocono
Woods, Mrs. Livingston listening with wide open eyes.

"Oh, I am so sorry, my dears," comforted the elderly woman after having
heard the story of their experiences. "But you surely did show pluck. That
is proper. A Camp Girl must be resourceful and brave under all
circumstances."

"Yeth ma'am. Pleathe tell that to Buthter. She ith a 'fraid cat."

"My dear Miss Thompson, that is not the way a Camp Girl should speak of
any of her companions. However, I will forgive you this time. Are you
hungry? You must be after that long walk."

"We had a light luncheon on the way out," answered Miss Elting.

"All of you come with me to the cook tent at once. But I warn, you it will
be a luncheon of such as we can put our hands on. I do not wish to wake
the workers at this hour."

They passed by a long row of darkened tents on their way to the cook tent
located well down the street, which was a street in name only.

"I have assigned you and Miss Thompson to this tent, Miss Burrell," sai