The Meadow-Brook Girls on the Tennis Courts; Or, Winning Out in the Big Tournament

ment," complained Gra

McCarthy. "Did you ever know the Mea

es and blackened logs," returned Margery Brown. "I shall just perish from doing nothing. We have been up here ne

he party of girls encamped on

" she

d. We'll thcrape off a thmooth plathe all the way down the thide of the hill, then

at the bottom," objected Margery.

t and make uth laugh. Why thhould you be fa

ted her nose

rself," sh

ng a flushed face from the fire over which she was cooking their supper. "Run down and jump in. If the water is deep, you might pretend

girl who has been lost at sea for hours on a dark night," observed the guardian. "You w

"I came out here with you for the sake of the outing

lace smells like a country smoke-house, where t

excitement. I am enjoying myself thoroughly. What is more, were I looking

anion with narrowed eye

ething that we do

sive reply. "Why don't you use your eyes an

d smell makes me ill. When I shut my eyes I think the side of the hill is o

seared their leaves and blackened their young trunks. The trees were making a noble fight for life, the green at their tops showing that some success had attended their unequal fight. Here and there blackened slabs of granite p

the uphill side, so that they might not be drowned out in case of a heavy rainstorm. They had chosen this uninviting spot principally because it was different from any place in which they had made camp during their summer vacations of the past t

y, also saw that Harriet had something in mind. She walked ov

ean, Harriet?"

y getting supper now to make any explanation

erything is unusual around here-too

tery here," observed

ankets had been laid down on which the girls took their places with their feet curled underneath them. The dishes were mostly tin and paper, but the supper, smoking and steaming on the blanket, was savory and appetizing. The girls

to thtop eating to-night," was t

Buster. "Didn't I tell you I should go righ

the truth about herthelf," ave

angry Margery. "I'll never spea

ow silly you are, you wou

ith to run all day in the hot thun," answe

ame a fitting reply Hazel suddenly asked Harriet a question that quic

meant when you made that remark a

emark,

ment, about using our eyes, ears and nos

said," repe

leathe?" urged Tommy. "I'm no

ad you used your eyes, you would have seen smoke; had you used y

replied Tommy after a b

nderstand?" de

her mind. Maybe thhe'll fi

from Tommy and Buster, who sprang to their feet, gazing at the ground with a frightened

ace severely. "Now tell uth truthfully, Harriet, what y

. "This dot is the camp of the Meadow-Brook Girls," she said. "At the extreme upper side are the woods that you see over the brow

" questioned

Miss E

he

toward the brow of the hill, gi

do you

ighbors," replie

!" screame

at?" asked the

thee a thtrange human being again," cried Tommy.

nodded. Tommy's

ore I began getting the supper. Then as I was getting the fire going I saw smoke

. "Grathiouth! We'll all b

signals. There wasn't enough smoke i

ghed Jane McCarthy. "I thought you we

in turn; then there were no more smoke signals

n. "I know of no one in these parts wh

his time. But I have my suspicions. If I am right, we shall

rgery eagerly. "Please d

If I don't know, I'll lie awake all night thinking and guething about it, and oh, I tel

nt prospects. Think what a lot of comfort she will get out of worrying for fear that sometime during the nigh

Jane McCarthy. "I almost

g. "I am inclined to the belief that what you saw must be a camp of timber cruisers or lumbermen. There are no Indians up here,

ared till I'm all fluthtered up; then I want to be thcared thome more." T

dow-Brook Girls to their throats-so it seemed to them. Margery Brown, frightened nearly out of her wits, sprang up and started to run down the hill diagonally from the camp