Although Betty and Amy and the boys as well had expected a rather warm greeting, they were entirely unprepared for the kind they really got.
They were hugged and kissed—boys as well as girls, much to the glee of the former—till the Little Captain called out laughingly to “Stop it!”
“What’s the matter with you?” she asked. “Are you going stark, raving crazy?”
“If they are, don’t attempt to stop them, Betty,” laughed Frank Haley, and Will added, happily:
“Home was never like this.”
However, in due time the girls calmed down to a more normal key and the whole party started toward the camp.
“Hear you had pretty tough luck—shack burned down and no tent,” said Will. “It surely must have been a facer for you. Wonder you didn’t come back to Deepdale, full speed.”
“Will Ford, is that what you think of us?” asked gentle Amy indignantly, and Will countered lightly with:
“You ought to know better than to ask me what I think of you, Amy—especially when there’s a crowd around.”
The girls giggled and Amy flushed and everybody was happy!