as, laden with rugs and cushions, they strolled along
behind her.

"Let's just play around for awhile," proposed Miriam. "There's a field
of daisies and golden rod if any one wants to go blossom gathering. Ruth
spoke of taking some pictures, too. Then we can play in the brook, and
go in wading if we like, only I don't like."

Arline and the Emerson twins elected to go in wading. Miriam and Anne
drifted off to explore the brookside, while Ruth posed Grace, Emma and
Elfreda for snapshots until they rebelled and begged for mercy. Later
half the company stayed near their impromptu camp under the big elm tree
that overhung the brook while the other half went on an exploring
expedition, and when they returned the first half sallied forth.

"We shan't stay away long," warned Arline Thayer. "It's after one
o'clock now, and I'm hungry as a hunter."

"Still we don't intend to let mere hunger conflict with our desire for
exploration," was Emma Dean's firm reminder. "Given a chance, we may
find something wonderful. We may dig the prehistoric mastodon from some
snug corner where he burrowed several thousand years ago. We may----"

"I never knew that mastodons 'burrowed,'" scoffed Sara Emerson. "That's
a new truth in natural history brought to light by Professor Dean."

"Which shall be proven when we return triumphantly with a few armfuls of
bones," flung back Emma as she hurried to catch up with Grace, Arline,
Ruth and Anne, who had already started.

"What would life be without Emma Dean?" eulogized Sue Emerson after
Emma's vanishing back. "Sara and I are always quoting her at home. It
seems so strange that until the Sempers organized we never knew her very
well. It was through Grace we learned to know Emma."

"The longer I know Grace Harlowe the prouder I am to be her friend,"
said Elfreda slowly.

"That is the way we all think about Grace," was Sue Emerson's quick
return. "You and Miriam are especially lucky in having her for a chum."

The four young women talked on until a long, clear trill announced the
return of the other half of the exploring party. "Where, oh, where, are
the mastodon's bones?" called out Sara Emerson jeeringly, as soon as
Emma Dean came within hailing distance and empty-handed.

"Buried out of sight and as hard as stones," came Emma's rhymed
rejoinder.

"How do you know how hard they are if they're buried out of sight!"
scoffed Sara as Emma came up beside her.

"Mere supposition, my child, mere