Some days after their arrival, when they had quite recovered from that unconquerable disposition to sleep, which always attacks lowlanders visiting the mountains, Billie proposed that they take a walking trip across a tableland which separated their mountain from the one behind, and finally scale the peak beyond, where the view, it was said, was magnificent.
“Let’s go to-day while the spirit moves us and it’s so delightfully cool,” she suggested at breakfast.
“But Mr. Lupo isn’t here,” objected Miss Campbell. “He’s gone to the village.”
“We know the way, don’t we, Ben? Mr. Lupo showed us the trail yesterday. Most of it goes through the woods. It’s only two miles across ‘Table Top’ and then we get to the other mountain. I’m wild to go. I’m beginning to feel shut in, and I want to see what’s on the other side of this Chinese wall.”
“More Chinese walls,” observed Ben gravely.
“Mr. Lupo is such a restraining influence,” put in Nancy. “When he’s along, we have no real conversation.”
“He is a kind of a wet blanket,” observed Percy. “You never know whether he has heard you or not. You generally have a feeling he has, but that your remarks are too trivial for comment.”
“All of which means,” said Miss Campbell, “that you want to go off for the day without a guide.”
“Please, Cousin Helen,” pleaded Billie.
“Dear Miss Campbell, won’t you let us?” cried the other Motor Maids.