“I wish that they were all as able to take care of themselves as he is.  It would save us a world of anxiety.  Do you begin to realise, Mary, what a load of responsibility we have taken on our shoulders?  Sixteen boys and girls to keep out of harm’s way for a week in the woods is no easy matter.”

“We’ll keep them so busy that they’ll have no time for mischief.  The wagonette isn’t unloaded yet.  Wait till you see the games I’ve brought, and the fishing-tackle.  There’s an old curtain that can be hung between those two trees any time we want to play charades.”

“Swing that hammock over there, Ranald,” she called, nodding to a clump of trees near the spring.  “Then some of you boys can carry this chest back to Dinah.”  She pointed to the old army mess-chest, that always accompanied them on their picnics and outings.

“The Ogre can do that,” said the Little Captain, nodding toward Joe Clark, who stood leaning lazily against a tree.

“Do it yourself, Frog-Eye Fearsome,” retorted Joe, at the same time coming forward to help carry the chest to the place assigned it.

“They’ll never be able to get away from those names,” said Miss Allison.  “Well, what is it, my Princess Winsome?” she asked, as Lloyd came running up to her.

“Please take care of these for me, Miss Allison,” answered Lloyd, holding out Hero’s shoulder-bags, which she had just taken from him.  “I put on his things when we started, for mothah says nobody evah knows what’s goin’ to happen in camp, and we might need those bandages.”  Tumbling them into Miss Allison’s lap, she was off again in breathless haste, to follow the other girls, who were exploring the tents, and exclaiming over all the queer make-shifts of camp life.  Then they raced down to the waterfall, and, taking off shoes and stockings, waded up and down in the brook.  These early fall days were as warm as August, so wading was not yet one of the forbidden pastimes.  They splashed up and down until the Little Captain’s bugle sent a ringing call for their return to camp.  Katie was one of the last to leave the water.  Lloyd waited for her while she hurriedly laced her shoes, and as they followed the others she said, in a confidential tone, “Do you think you are goin’ to like to stay out heah till next Sata’day?”

“Like it!” echoed Katie, “I could stay here a year!”

“But at night, I mean.  Sleepin’ in those narrow little cots, with nothin’ ovah ou’ heads but the tents, and no floah.  Ugh!  What if a snake or a liz’ad should wiggle in, and you’d heah it rustlin’ around in the grass undah you!  There’s suah to be bugs and ants and cattahpillahs.  I like camp in the daylight, but it would be moah comfortable to have a house to sleep in at night.  I wish I could wish myself back home till mawnin’.”

“I don’t mind the bugs and spiders,” said Katie, recklessly, “and you’d better not let the boys find out that you do, or they’ll never stop teasing you.”