Dorothy's Triumph

four o'clock, when the darkness without was still intense, Ephraim, who had been awake

front hall, ready to be carried to the automobile when Gerald and Aurora should arriv

n-sleepy-eyed, because the chums had lain awake more than half the night talking over old times. Molly's trip to California had been told of to the m

rothy said, as they

t time you keep me awake till nearly morning,

d for my condition after my long journey here. I needed rest, but you kept me awak

did

u d

th the fact that the young ladies had apparently descended in a very bad humor, both girls laughed

nt Betty, who entered at this m

ng an innocent look. "She says our eyes are swol

etty l

I did not hear you talk

d you,

ecided to say nothing. But come; let us eat, for G

Betty's special recipe, was delicious, and served to revive the sleepy girl

ust as the sun was getting ready to peep above the distant horizon, the big touring car drew u

s that?" cried Jim, cup

South Mountains. Four first and one second cla

IMBED INTO TH

hy's T

e. Molly and Aurora seemed to take to each other from the first, and Aunt Bet

ne, along with several large tent flaps and a coil of rope, the party waved a cheery good-by to Chloe, Dinah and

the big rear seat were Aunt Betty, Molly and Aurora, while the

lf as the big car rolled through the mai

e great country highway, so enticing to

the miles being reeled off at a good rate of

"I'm well satisfied at the present pace. I feel that it is as fast as we can go in perfect safety, and I have no desire to e

n mind," the boy

to a broad plain which stretched away for many leagues toward the west. The sun was well up now, but the party had hardly felt its war

missing the sleep they had lost, kept up an incessant

at sort of sleeping quarters are w

said Aunt Betty. "Gerald, did you provi

ral portable tent tops pack

'll need some tent sides, too, if we

ed a gene

impossible to carry poles and stakes, however, so Jim and I will

ngs we've forgotten before we've been

ed a startled

startled me," said Aun

tten someth

Calvert heaved a long sigh of r

rling

y to have a comb and brush, young lady, let alone curling irons, an

will do for all. We can take turn

f camp marshal to see that each of you has a turn at the mirror. So when

of the time since the car left the

one lef' mah curlin' irons tuh home, but maybe yo'-all will take pity on er pooh co

especially after all that fine language.

a small village inn. The community was just bestirring itse

sat on the front steps of the hos

breakfast

he reply, in a low drawl-"that is, if

lk and eggs, some crisp slices of fried bacon, a cup of coffee, a

ponded, grinning. "Come in and make yourselves at home, w

urging, for the early morning ride had given them

ing, while its occupants were grouped in the little par

about the room. "Wonder if there's a village hotel in any part of the o

son seems also to be a favorite. See, there h

ern hero's name was the occasion for no little amount of reverence-thoughts th

d on the scene a few moments

ome into the d

all, though comfortable, room, where the land

ere put before them. Even Aunt Betty, usually a light eater, consumed three eggs, two g

othy in delight. "I never knew you to e

ing it, I see no reason why I should not have it. I have

ack to Bellvieu I was led to believe that you were fast failing in health. But, as y

tter-that I wil

g to feel better still. Who knows? You may take

m carrying now all the fles

and soon the big Ajax, given a new lease on life by reason of a

were rough in many places, yet not once during the da

y after noon, when, in another village some forty o

eady been forced to draw upon his reserve. This was necessitat

t such an important matter," he sa

ere you are," was Jim's reply, intended to be consoling.

nned at th

didn't,"

ut if w

me back with us-that's all. Fortunately, in these days of the automobile, an ample supply of gasolin

you run wit

out the reserve, which is

every particular, with its res

uring car, it has many of

oads

untry-one you can take long trips in-a ca

hrough lunch. Let's be moving. You know we want to get as nea

ver foot-bridges and through grove after grove of pretty trees. It seemed that old Mother Nature had spread on the scenic touches with a master hand in this part of Maryland, and t

as they went flying past. To these salutations the girls took del

him gently about a reproof he had just administered to Molly, who had become quite enthusiastic

des, Molly is her own mistress, and you have no righ

n on the subject," growled J

girls," said Aurora. "Let's leav

er, when he found that no one was paying any attention to him, and by

se-voiced horn sending out its warning to pedestrians. Their speed was clearly within the limits of what was required by la

e sun had disappeared below the horizon. Just when dusk was ready to envelop the land they descried

will be camping if all goes we

take hold of this steering wheel awhile. I'm going t

e boy, clambered into the front seat, while Gerald took o

l of the better class. Upon investigation accommodations were found to be so tempting, the party decided to spend the night. Gerald registered for

stained their reputations for ravenous eaters so well that the proprietor secretly wrung hi

he visitors had departed down the street

me-worn favorite, "Lady Audley's Secret." Even Aunt Betty enjoyed the old play which she had no

de its living off of small town audiences, where the standard set is

by the master of ceremonies, James Barlow, who was the first to awaken

t on the table only such food as he felt his guests should have, and when a second portion was ask

imited to but one batch of pan-cakes each, they were

he sun seemed to glint off the peaks like burnished gold. However, as Old Sol rose higher, this effect was gradually dissipated, and after a two hours' ride, durin

of the mountains, and they gazed out over the valley, through which a silvery stream of water flowed merrily toward t

es, and we would have an excellent view of the valley. And then, if I am not mistaken, that path leading down the

arther away than y

and look at the plateau

is the next thi

tain, and it was only after a most diligent search that Gerald and Jim discovere

ve camp-site even more satisfactory than they had expected. A vote of t

rangements. "So let's unload the things while the boys are fixing the

, with becoming modesty. "Wh

sounds very nice," A

rothy. "Let's ca

hing to do with it. This is Dorothy's p

my party than yours, Gerald Blank, even i

mp Calvert," Ge

you have taken no part in the controversy. S

er," s

orothy and Gera

Jim!" This fr

he matter to me, so we'll call it Camp Breckenridge a

Molly. "I sha

the discussion at an end, the members of the party went

and marched off into the woods, while Ephraim was del

the best draught; which direction the breeze was coming from, so the tent flaps might be left back at night for t

irst tent was pitched between two huge oak trees, which threw their shade for yards around. The other, which was to house the boys and

indle a fire, which he did very quickly, his campin

ewly-organized Camp Breck, the mistress of Bellvieu bustled about in a n

a level spot on the soft grass, and began to distribute the tin plates, steel kni

ortly after one, half-famished but happy, little dreaming of the thr