“Yet she can talk, and interestingly, too, when you get her started.”
“Oh, to be sure, but I fancy she will always be a little shy.”
They were not up so early the next morning but that Daniella was before them and out on the lake practicing with her canoe. She did indeed look a picture as she stood up in her short skirt, her big hat shading her radiant face, her cheeks glowing, and her lovely golden brown hair gleaming in the sun. “If I were an artist,” cried Nan, “I would say: Kindly keep that pose, Miss Scott.”
“Being the next best thing to an artist I will say it,” said Jo bringing her camera into focus. “There, I have immortalized you, Daniella.”
Then Jack declared she wanted Jo to take a photograph of her in a canoe to send Mr. St. Nick. Of course Jean could not let this go by without demanding one of herself in the same attitude. Mary Lee would like one for Miss Dolores and Daniella wanted one of Nan for her own collection, so it ended in various cameras being brought forth and a series of pictures being taken; no one was ready to stop till her first roll of films was exhausted. By this time they had gone rather far afield.
“It must be getting on,” said Mary Lee, looking at her watch. “Dear, oh, me, girls. I should say so. Come to breakfast. Don’t you smell the delicious fumes of coffee?”
Unencumbered by long skirts, and free of limb in jumpers and leggings the girls darted off, racing back to camp full tilt, Jean, though the most eager as to appetite, the least fleet of foot, and therefore bringing up the rear.
CHAPTER V
UP THE MOUNTAIN
In two or three days the girls decided that they could no longer wait to join the party which was preparing for a mountain climb. The start was made in a wagon which would take them about twenty miles to the foot of a steep up-winding road which was only possible for pedestrians. In bloomers, big hats and flannel blouses, a leather strap around their waists upon which was hung a tin cup, and wearing leathern leggings to protect them from the briars or something worse, they made ready. Each had made into a pack a small pillow, a rubber blanket and a woolen one and had further provided herself with an alpenstock. There were about a dozen in the party, which was led by Miss Lloyd, a cheery little woman full of resources and with a fund of humor which would serve a good purpose under difficulties.