"Of the towel, of course." Then a minute later she called, "Girls, come quick!"
There was an immediate stampede to the creek.
"What is it—lions?" asked Amanda.
Sarah pointed without speaking. There, bending over an old tree-stump, admirably fashioned for a wash-stand, was the Señora calmly washing herself—in the basin.
"I found it here all ready for us," she explained. "And see—here's a nail on this little tree ready for a mirror, and branches just made to hang towels on."
"Alec and Knight haven't left a thing for me to see to," remarked Blue Bonnet. "I'm going to stop worrying."
"Oh, you were worrying, were you?" asked Kitty. "We'll know the symptoms next time."
The washing-up that ensued was very animated, if not thorough. Taking turns at the basin the girls, wincing under the cold water, "polished off" the top layer of dust; brushed ruffled locks and retied ribbons; dabbed talcum on noses and straightened creased middies. They were just putting on the finishing touches when the sound of cow-bells, rung lustily and long, came from the direction of the other Camp.
"That must be the dinner-bell," said Blue Bonnet. "I hope they won't expect us to have dainty appetites just because we're girls!"
A moment later Alec and Knight appeared to escort them in state. Midway they were met by Mr. and Mrs. Judson,—the latter with two small boys tugging at her skirts, and a third not far in the rear; a state of things that was later found to be invariably the case whenever Mrs. Judson ventured forth.