“My name is George Baker. I’m the captain of the Tramp Club. They’re a fine lot of fellows, but full of mischief.”
“As I said before, we haven’t words with which to express our gratitude to you for what you have done for us,” said Miss Elting. “Ah! There are your friends. Won’t you introduce us to them? I’ll first introduce my Meadow-Brook Girls.” Miss Elting introduced the girls to the Tramp Club as a body, after which the captain did the same with his friends. The names of the members of the club as given by the captain in his introduction, were Dill Dodd, Fred Avery, Sam Crocker, Charles Mabie, Will Burgess and Davy Dockrill.
“Taken altogether, ladies,” remarked the captain, “we are a choice band of ruffians on the road, though sometimes gentlemen when we are at home.”
“I disagree with you,” laughed the guardian. “I shall never meet any finer gentlemen than I have met to-night.”
The captain doffed his hat. Tommy was regarding him out of the corners of her eyes. She seemed about to say something; then, apparently changing her mind, smiled impishly to herself and remained silent.
“I told your friend, Miss McCarthy, to set the boys at work getting things ready for the ladies when they reached camp,” said the captain. “My, but I got some thrills riding out here with Miss McCarthy. We must have driven out here at the rate of about a hundred miles an hour. I never before rode so fast in my life. Here, fellows, what’s the matter with you! This is no marathon. The young ladies can’t hit up that pace and keep on their feet. Slow down.”
“We can walk jutht ath fatht ath any boy in bootth,” retorted Tommy indignantly.
Captain Baker touched the rim of his hat.
“I’ll argue it out with you some other time, Miss Thompson,” he said.
“Oh!” moaned Margery, staggering a little.