to start off, like pilgrims of old, carrying with them the barest
necessaries, and have a four days' tramp to visit a few of the beauty
spots of the neighborhood, spending a couple of nights _en route_.

"It will be a real open-air holiday," she assured them. "We shall be out
of doors all day long and eat most of our meals by the roadside. I've
planned it out carefully. A short railway journey to Carford, then walk
by easy stages through Ryton-on-the-Heath to Dropwick and Pursborough,
where we can get the train again back to Grovebury. I know of two
extremely nice Temperance Hotels where we can be put up for the night.
By going in this way we shall see the cream of the country. Any girl who
is a good walker may join the party."

It certainly sounded a fascinating program, and after due consideration
at home eight girls put their names down for the excursion--Ingred,
Verity, Nora, Bess, Linda, Francie, Kitty, and Belle. They felt it would
be quite a new experience to know Miss Strong out of school hours; the
light in her eyes when she announced the scheme gave promise of hitherto
hidden capacities for fun. It circulated round the form that she might
prove quite a jolly companion. Those girls who could not join the tour
were a trifle wistful and inclined towards envy. They took it out of the
pilgrims in gloomy prognostications concerning the weather.

"It will probably rain all the time and you'll tramp along like a row of
drowned rats," suggested Beatrice.

"It won't do anything of the sort. I believe we're going to have a fine
mild spell and it will be just glorious. I'm taking my 'Brownie,' so
there'll be some snapshots to show we've been enjoying ourselves,"
retorted Nora briskly. "You stay-at-homes will be sorry for yourselves
when you hear our adventures!"

To allow the weather ample chance of improvement, and perhaps also to
give Miss Strong time to rest, the excursion was fixed for the last week
of the holidays. One morning in mid-April, therefore, found teacher and
pupils meeting together on the platform of Grovebury station to catch
the 9.25 train to Carford. They wore jerseys and their school hats, and
they carried their luggage according to their individual ideas of
convenience. Linda wore her little brother's satchel slung over her
back. Nora had borrowed a knapsack, Kitty preferred a parcel, Verity
packed her possessions in a string bag, and Bess carried a neat
dispatch-case.

"I'd a ripping idea for