“Then I’ll take the beefsteak and never mind the nourishment,” declared Jane, who was not particularly fond of beans.

“I’d rather have both,” said Margery hungrily.

“Of courth you would,” teased Tommy.  “That ith why you—­”

“Oh, say something new,” groaned Buster.

Miss Elting permitted them to jest to their hearts’ content.  The more they talked the better was she pleased, because it kept them from eating too rapidly.  Their meal finished and the dishes cleaned in salt water and sand, the guardian gave thought to their next move.  But she was in no haste.  The girls were allowed plenty of time to rest and digest their hearty meal, which they did by sitting in the sand with the sun beating down on them.  After the lapse of an hour she told the girls to get ready.

“I will say to you frankly that I do not know where I am, though I am positive we are on the right road.  Our destination can not be so very far from here, and I believe we have ample time to reach it before dark.  However, each of you will put a can of beans in her pocket.  We will take the coffee, our cups and the coffee pot.  Thus equipped, we shall not go hungry in case we are caught out over night.  Then, again, there must be houses somewhere along this road.  The first one we see I shall stop and make inquiries.”

“What shall we do with the rest of our things?” questioned Hazel.

“Make them into packages and hide the lot.  You might blaze a tree near the road, in case we forget.  All parts of the road hereabouts look very much alike to me.  There is a good place for a cache about half way between here and the highway.  I should go in a few rods, but any food that is not in cans we had better throw away.”

“I don’t thee why we can’t camp right here,” said Grace.

“This is not the place to which we are going,” Harriet informed her.  “I don’t know where it is, but, sooner or later, we’ll arrive there.”

“If we are lucky,” added Tommy under her breath.

[Illustration:  Jane and Harriet Hid the Trunk.]

Jane had already started for the road.  She was called back by Harriet to take hold of one end of the trunk.  Together the two girls lugged this to the place on the path that had been indicated by Miss Elting.  By going straight in among the trees a short distance they found rocks, under one of which was a hole hollowed out in former times by water, and which made an excellent place in which to stow their equipment until such time as they might be able to return for it.

Hazel, Margery and Tommy brought the rest of their belongings from the highway, Miss Elting and Hazel what had been left at their camping place, all being neatly packed away in the hollow in the rock.  This done, and a mound of small stones built over it, the girls were ready to proceed on their journey.

The afternoon was now well along, so they started off at a brisk pace, led by the guardian.  Harriet appeared to have fully recovered from her accident.  About an hour later they came in sight of a farmhouse.  The guardian directed the girls to sit down and rest while she went up to the house to make some inquiries.  When she returned her face was all smiles.