“But if you saw anything at night in the woods,” interrupted Ethel, “you wouldn’t just care about being alone?”
“Yes,” admitted Doris, “you know there might be something spooky!”
“I wish something would happen!” exclaimed Ruth. “But I guess Captain Phillips killed any chance we had of that!”
Immediately after lunch the following Saturday, the girls met with their packs strapped in blanket-rolls and swung over their shoulders.
“Has anybody ever camped out before?” asked Miss Phillips as they started on their long hike.
“About eight of my Sunday School class crowded into one little cottage at the seashore,” said Ethel, “but that was the nearest I ever came to it.”
“Of course this won’t exactly be camping, for we shall not use tents. But everything else will be the same,” said the Captain, after some of the others had related experiences similar to Ethel’s.
Instead of first taking a train and then hiking the rest of the distance, the girls decided to hike the entire way. If they had been obliged to construct a lean-to, or even put up tents to sleep under, Miss Phillips would not have allowed it; but since the cabin was all ready for them, and there was even a fireplace to use for cooking, she thought that by this time they should be able to do it. And although they were somewhat tired when they finally arrived at their destination, no one considered the distance too far.
After each girl had unfastened her pack, and deposited her equipment in the section or corner to which she was assigned, Dorothy and Edith began to get supper.
“Who’ll go for water?” asked the latter, holding up two pails.