Nevertheless, they packed it scientifically and succeeded in storing enough to supply a much larger party for a week. Then they set off early in the morning to make their daily hundred miles.
The sun, which had appeared early in the day, vanished under the clouds by noon, and a light rain fell during the afternoon. The prospect of making camp under these conditions was not alluring, and the girls began to look for houses. But the few that they saw were mean and tumble-down, obviously unfitted to afford accommodations for a party of seven. At last, however, the rain ceased, and Marjorie suggested that they make camp.
They were in a flat open space now, where only a few groups of trees dotted the landscape here and there. The ground itself looked damp and uninviting. The girls surveyed it with dismay.
“I don’t care much about sleeping on this!” remarked Marjorie, as she looked about her.
“Maybe we could sleep in the cars,” suggested Lily.
“I’m afraid not,” answered Mrs. Remington. “There’s too much baggage, and too little room. But I think we really might as well eat our supper here. Can we get along without cooking much?”
“Yes, indeed,” answered Ethel, who had superintended the buying. “We have plenty of delicatessen stuff. But don’t you think we ought to have something hot to drink?”
“And a fire would be awfully welcome,” added Lily.
“How about coffee?” inquired Alice, already starting upon her search in the hamper.
“No, cocoa,” advised Mrs. Remington. “We don’t want to take any chances of staying awake on a night like this.”