"Yes, and Tartarin was the dearest old fellow. He started out to climb the Alps—loaded himself with rope, woolen clothing, Alpine stick, etc. We had to read the book last year in our French class," said Letty.
"Wasn't it the hardest French you ever read?" asked Edith. "It seemed to me I had to use my dictionary for every other word. But dear me, why talk about school and studies when we're off on a 'lark'?"
"That's what I say," said Mary Lee. "Let's make up a song that we can sing as we trudge along the road."
"How about using the tune of 'The Bear Went Over the Mountain'?" asked Edith.
"Just the thing," cried Letty. "How's this?—
"We took our beds on our ba-acks—"
"Oh, no," said Mary Lee. "It's better to say 'we took our beds on our shoulders.'"
The girls were so busy working on their song that they were surprised when the conductor called "Port Washington."
How the townspeople did stare as the three girls set out down the road! Several soldiers, standing on a corner smiled as they whistled the song:
"Oh here she comes, there she goes