said Letty.

"Oh, wouldn't that be great! Mother has some friends who are at their lovely country home over on Long Island. If they would only invite us over," said Edith.

They had just reached Letty's home when they spied the postman coming out.

"Did you leave a letter for me?" cried Letty.

"Yes, indeed," replied the postman, "a nice big fat one, too."

"Oh, come on in, girls, till I see if there's anything worth while in it," cried Letty bounding up the front steps.

The girls were glad to stop in for awhile, for the house was cool and delightful, while the heat outside was intense for a June day.

Letty tore the letter open hurriedly, and glanced first of all at the signature.

"Oh, girls, it's from Cousin Edna! What do you suppose she wants?"

"Why not read it and see?" asked Edith, who was quite consumed with curiosity.

Letty did. A smile lighted up her face as she turned over the first page. By the time she finished the letter she was ready to dance, she was so excited.

"Calm yourself, child, calm yourself, till we know what it's all about," cried Mary Lee.

"Talk about luck!" exclaimed Letty. "Just think, Cousin Edna's Camp Fire Group is off on a camping expedition. She thinks it would be a 'lark' if some of our girls could come over and visit them for a day or so at their camp."

"_Can_ we?" cried Edith, "well, I should say we could. Tomorrow is Friday, so why not go this week? I'm sure my mother will consent to let me go. Whom else shall we ask beside us three?"

"n.o.body," said Letty. "We can have a better time if we go by ourselves. Cousin Edna says they are living in tents about five miles out from the railroad station. Of course we shall have to 'hike' all the way over from the station, but won't it be fun? We can wear our khaki suits and carry our blankets strapped around us. The camp is on the beach and we can take our swimming suits along."

"And we can sleep on the beach," cried Mary Lee, "and watch the stars.

I've always wanted to do that."

"Come on home," cried Edith to Mary Lee, "and see what mother has to say. I'm sure she will think it a lovely plan. Letty, you find your mother and get her consent."

"When shall we start?" cried Letty.

"Tomorrow afternoon, right after school," said Mary Lee. "We can go by train to Port Washington and 'hike' over to the camp."

"Yes," said Letty, "I'll have father look up the time-table and see how late a train we can get, so that we can do our walking as the sun is setting. The woods will be so pretty then."

"But suppose it gets dark before we reach camp," said Edith.

"All the more fun. We can take along a flash-light. Father has one that gives out a big light. He bought it when he went fishing not long ago. I'll ask him to lend it to us," said Letty, "and mother has some regular U. S. Army blankets that she takes when we go to the mountains every summer. She'll let us each take one. They will be just the thing if we want to sleep on the beach."

CHAPTER XXVIII

"HELP! HELP!"

When the three girls started on their expedition the next day, they were the center of attention at the depot. Each wore a khaki suit, consisting of a middy blouse and bloomers, heavy leggings and soft felt hat. Their blankets were thrown over their shoulders and strapped at the side. Inside the rolled blanket each had a sweater, a bathing suit and a cap. One girl carried a camera, one a box of lunch and the other a flash light.

"Aren't we loaded though?" cried Letty as they seated themselves in the train.

"I should say so. I feel like Tartarin when he started to climb the Alps," said Edith.

"I never heard of Tartarin," said Mary Lee. "Who was he?"

"Didn't you ever read 'Tartarin of Tarascon,' by Alphonse Daudet?"

asked Letty.

"No, but I've heard of Daudet. He was a celebrated Frenchman, wasn't he?"

"Yes, and Tartarin was the dearest old fellow. He started out to climb the Alps--loaded himself with rope, woolen clothing, Alpine stick, etc. We had to read the book last year in our French cla.s.s," said Letty.

"Wasn't it the hardest French you ever read?" asked Edith. "It seemed to me I had to use my dictionary for every other word. But dear me, why talk about school and studies when we're off on a 'lark'?"

"That's what I say," said Mary Lee. "Let's make up a song that we can sing as we trudge along the road."

"How about using the tune of 'The Bear Went Over the Mountain'?" asked Edith.

"Just the thing," cried Letty. "How's this?--

"We took our beds on our ba-acks--"

"Oh, no," said Mary Lee. "It's better to say 'we took our beds on our shoulders.'"

The girls were so busy working on their song that they were surprised when the conductor called "Port Washington."

How the townspeople did stare as the three girls set out down the road! Several soldiers, standing on a corner smiled as they whistled the song:

"Oh here she comes, there she goes All dressed up in her Sunday clothes."

"Don't you feel like a freak?" asked Edith, rather sorry now she had worn her bloomer suit.

"Indeed I don't," answered Letty. "These khaki bloomer suits are the latest fad for 'hikers.' I had a letter from my aunt who is at a fashionable summer resort in Michigan. She said that there was a party of young people spending the week end at the same hotel and that all the young women of the party wore bloomer suits and looked just too cute for anything. They are university students and had walked all the way from Chicago. They were making a study of the sand dunes, lake currents and change of river beds. A professor was with them."

"How delightful," said Mary Lee. "I'd love to join a party like that, only I'd rather study Botany."

By this time the road led into a deep wood where the setting sun flashed its red light through the verdant foliage.

"Isn't this ideal?" exclaimed Edith. "Look at those n.o.ble looking trees!"

"What kind are they?" asked Letty. "I never could tell one tree from another."

"Those are red oak and those over there are white," explained Mary Lee.