other girls of the Meadow-Brook party had performed either heroic or meritorious acts, for which they were rewarded by the gift of beads according to the regulations of the order.  Unfortunately, the now badly damaged trunk that had been carried at the rear of Jane McCarthy’s car contained their ceremonial dresses, so that the Meadow-Brook Girls were unable to appear in the regulation costume; and they also lacked other important equipment, namely, blankets in which to wrap themselves for outdoor sleeping.

“There is not an extra blanket in camp,” said Mrs. Livingston, when the situation was explained to the Chief Guardian.  “I don’t know what we shall do.  I fear you girls will have to go into town and stay at a hotel.”

“Oh, no.  We have slept out-of-doors under worse conditions,” declared Harriet.  “Please do not concern yourself over us.  We shall get along very nicely.  Do you happen to have an extra piece of canvas in camp?”

“There is a side wall that we use for covering our vegetables, such as potatoes.  You may use that if you wish, but I warn you it is not very clean.”

“We will give it a good dusting.  It will answer very nicely to lie on and we’ll sleep close together to keep warm.  I am not sure but I should prefer sleeping out in that way.  The Indians many times slept in the open without covering.  I don’t see why we shouldn’t do the same.”

“Are there any thnaketh here?” inquired Tommy anxiously.

“Oh, no,” the Chief Guardian replied smilingly.

“Any bugth?”

“Naturally, there are some insects; fleas, perhaps, but you don’t mind those.”

“No.  My father thayth I hop around like a thand flea at a clam bake mythelf, but if I wath fat I couldn’t do that, could I?” asked Tommy with a sidelong glance at Buster.

Margery, who had been an interested listener to the conversation, now turned her back, elevating her nose disdainfully.  She made no reply to Tommy’s fling at her.  Harriet already had gone to bring the canvas, which was to be their bed for the night.  She determined on the morrow to make bough beds for herself and companions, provided any suitable boughs were to be had.  The canvas was dragged to a level spot.  Jane and Hazel scraped the ground clean and smooth while Harriet was beating the canvas to get the dust out of it.  This done, the canvas was spread out on the ground and folded over twice, leaving sufficient of it to cover them after they had taken their positions for the night.

Tommy regarded the preparations with mild interest.

“Who ith going to thleep next to the wall?” she asked.

“We thought we should place you next to the fold,” replied Miss Elting.  “You can’t kick the cover off there.”

“And where ith Buthter going to thleep?”

“In the middle.”

“That ith all right.  I don’t withh to be too clothe to her.  We might thquabble all night.”