“We are going to travel eastward over the mountains, girls,” explained Harriet. “We shall have dense forests to go through and rugged paths to follow, but we shall save a number of miles and a great deal of time by going that way. We ought to reach Meadow-Brook some hours ahead of the boys if they take the road, as I heard Mr. Baker say they would. We shall touch the road occasionally, especially after we get over the mountains. And you, Jane, must leave a sign on the fence. We will do the same. Wherever we touch the highway we will make a sign, also putting down the time. Those boys don’t know anything about our secret signs, and they mustn’t.”
“Are we all ready?” asked the guardian.
“Yes.”
“You had better start your car quietly, Jane,” suggested Miss Elting.
Jane nodded. She understood. The camp of the Tramp Club was not so far away but that the boys could hear the motor plainly if they were awake, which the girls very much doubted, as the Tramps had confessed that they sat up late nights, telling stories, playing Indian war games and scouting in the woods.
“Shoulder packs!” commanded Harriet.
A few moments later the four girls with their guardian, after having put out the fire, started from the field. They were headed for the highway. Jane stood beside her car, waving to them until they were out of sight, then she calmly climbed into the vehicle and went to sleep. Crazy Jane had a plan of her own.
About five o’clock the camp of the Tramp Club began to show signs of life. The captain roused his companions. It had been his intention to get out earlier, but he had overslept, as had all of his men. Still, he did not consider that there was any necessity for great haste. Of course he had not the slightest idea that the Meadow-Brook Girls had broken camp at any such early hour.
The boys, while losing no time, made no effort at great haste. It was nearly six o’clock when they finished their breakfast and half an hour later, before they strapped on their packs and started down the road.
Dill Dodd chuckled triumphantly as he pointed to Jane McCarthy’s automobile standing right where it had been since the previous afternoon.