Miss Elting came out, her face wearing a radiant smile of welcome for the tramps. Their hats were off instantly. She insisted on shaking hands with each of the boys in turn.
“I suppose you have had your breakfast?” smiled the guardian.
“Breakfast!” exclaimed Davy Dockrill. “Yes. We men eat our breakfast at six o’clock. We aren’t like girls, who take their breakfast in place of luncheon.”
“And eat cookies between meals,” laughed Harriet. “How many miles do you walk a day?”
“Oh, a lot,” answered George airily.
“How many?” persisted Harriet.
“Well, maybe ten, fifteen, twenty miles, maybe more.”
“I’ll wager that you take a ride now and then,” interjected Tommy.
“We don’t. We walk, I tell you.”
“We aren’t like girls, who have to stop and rest every half mile or so,” declared Will Burgess.