Half an hour after Harriet had outlined her scheme to surprise their friends, the girls were in bed. They were tired, as usual, and went promptly to sleep.
In the meantime the Tramp Club boys had been busy making camp. They built up a campfire, and, before going to bed, cooked some fish that had been caught by one of their number that day.
"I don't believe the Meadow-Brook Girls are in these parts at all," declared Larry Goheen.
"It's a lark coming over here for a night's camping out, anyway," answered Billy Gordon, "It is like being real Indians."
"We aren't Indians," answered George, "It is those girls who are the Indians. I'd just like to see any other girls in the state of New Hampshire make the hike they did that last day we were on the trail. They may be twenty miles from here by this time. If we don't find them to-morrow I, for one, shall be in favor of making a trip around the lake in the launch. We can pretend that we had to go on an errand, or for some fishing bait or something of the sort. We mustn't let them know we have been looking for them."
It was after midnight when the boys turned in. They, too, went sound asleep directly they rolled up in their blankets in their little tent. Two hours later while the Tramp Club were oblivious to sound and time, the alarm clock on the "Red Rover" went off with a thrilling whirr. The girls sprang from their cots, Margery and Tommy protesting over being awakened at that unseemly hour, as they characterized it. Harriet lighted the oil stove and put the kettle on. The others went out to the deck to wash their faces. Harriet, having finished her labors for the time being, followed them.
The air was chill at that hour. The girls were shivering, Tommy's teeth, chattered. She stammered as well as lisped when she essayed to speak now.
"One more night like this, and Tommy won't be able to talk at all," chuckled Jane.
"My kingdom for another such a night, then!" returned Margery fervently.
"Buthter ith too fat to feel the cold," observed Tommy Thompson. She loved to tease Margery, and to mention her weight always annoyed Buster. Margery was unable to think of anything sufficiently irritating to fit that particular case, so she tossed her head and remained silent, while Tommy's twinkling eyes were fixed upon her.