The Meadow-Brook Girls in the Hills; Or, The Missing Pilot of the White Mountains

E-text prepared by Al Haines

Author of the Meadow-Brook Girls Under Canvas, The Meadow-Brook Girls Across Country, The Meadow-Brook Girls Afloat, The Meadow-Brook Girls by the Sea, etc.

I hear that Janus Grubb is going to take a passel of gals on a tramp over the hills, observed the postmaster, helping himself to a cracker from the grocer's barrel.
Gals? questioned the storekeeper.
Yes. There's a lot of mail here for the parties, mostly postals. Can't make much out of the postals, but some of the letters I can read through the envelopes by holding them against the window.
Lemme have a look, urged the grocer eagerly.
Not by a hatful. I'm an officer of the government. The secrets of the government must be guarded, I tell ye. There's six of them——
You don't say! Six letters? interrupted the grocer.
No, gals. One's name is Elting. She's what they call a chaperon. Another is Jane McCarthy—I reckon some relation of the party who wrote me a letter asking what I knew about Jan. I reckon Jan got the job on my recommendation.
Who are these girls, and what do they think they're goin' to do up here?