Your devoted daughter,
Billie.”
In due time a telegram was telephoned from the railroad station to the nearest hotel and from thence to the postoffice in the village at the foot of Sunrise Mountain. Here it was written down on a scrap of paper and in the course of events reached Billie Campbell. It said:
“Meet Alberdina, fearless Swiss-German. 4.30 train Saturday. Father.”
Ben brought the message with the evening mail Friday afternoon while Nancy and Billie, much heated and excited, were in the act of cooking the mock duck.
“What are you roasting? An Indian papoose?” he demanded, after they had laughed over the name of the new, fearless maid.
The spurious fowl made of a large flat piece of meat stuffed out to plump proportions and tied at each end did resemble a fat little Indian baby.
“Don’t worry us,” exclaimed Nancy. “We have enough to bother us now. The potatoes are taking forever to cook and the beans are almost done.”
“The onions are just as bad,” put in Billie.
“Why don’t you put the onions and potatoes in the same pot with the beans? Maybe it will bring them luck,” suggested Ben.
“Do you think it would affect the flavor?” Billie asked eagerly.