“Fellows, we aren’t so much as we think we are,” declared the chief of the Tramp Club. “I propose three cheers for Miss Burrell. Now! Altogether! One, two, three!”
They gave three rousing cheers in which, Tommy’s shrill voice joined.
“Who’s all right?” demanded the captain at the end of the cheer.
“Miss Burrell’s all right!” yelled the Tramps. “For she’s a jolly good fel—low; For she’s a jolly good fellow,” sang the Tramps, as with hands on each other’s shoulders they marched through the camp, and out into the field on their way to their own camp, a short distance from that of the Meadow-Brook Girls.
Miss Elting was laughing merrily. Harriet’s face was crimson.
“I call that downright mean. They were making fun of me.”
“Why, Harriet! You know they were not,” rebuked Miss Elting. “It was the highest compliment those lads could pay.”
“It hath been a day of experientheth, hathn’t it?” Tommy questioned.
Harriet’s face was still flushed as she began to prepare the supper. Each member of the party now remembered that she had an appetite. While they were getting the meal Jane told them how the boys had gloated over having “walked the girls off their feet,” as the tramps expressed it. Jane announced triumphantly that she had been more than a match for them, which her companions could well believe, for Jane had a sharp tongue, besides being the possessor of a fund of Irish wit.
The smoke curling up from the other camp told the girls that the boys were busy getting their own supper. While eating, the guardian was obliged to go over the story of their experiences for the benefit of Jane, who interrupted now and then with humorous questions.