The Meadow-Brook Girls Across Country The Young Pathfinders on a Summer Hike   By: Janet Aldridge

The Meadow Brook Girls Across Country

OR

The Young Pathfinders on a Summer Hike

By

JANET ALDRIDGE

Author of The Meadow Brook Girls Under Canvas, The Meadow Brook Girls Afloat, etc.

Illustrated

PHILADELPHIA HENRY ALTEMUS COMPANY

Copyright, 1913, by Howard E. Altemus

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE I. A Night of Excitement 7 II. The Red Eye in the Dark 30 III. A Blessing and a Threat 39 IV. The Coming of Crazy Jane 50 V. Catching the Speckled Beauties 62 VI. The Call of the Dancing Bear 69 VII. Discovering Midnight Prowlers 79 VIII. Caught in a Morass 90 IX. The Tramp Club to the Rescue 102 X. In the Hands of the Rescuers 112 XI. A Contest of Endurance 124 XII. Meadow Brook Girls up a Tree 134 XIII. A Serious Predicament 146 XIV. Harriet Is Resourceful 152 XV. A Race for Life 163 XVI. A Treat That Was Not a Treat 173 XVII. Trying out the Gipsy Trail 186 XVIII. The Queen Takes a Hand 196 XIX. Delving Into the Mysteries 206 XX. Getting Even With George 217 XXI. Harriet Plans to Outwit the Tramp Club 225 XXII. A Combietta Concert 230 XXIII. The Harmonica Serenade 236 XXIV. Conclusion 244

THE MEADOW BROOK GIRLS ACROSS COUNTRY

CHAPTER I—A NIGHT OF EXCITEMENT

“Oh, where can Crazy Jane be!” wailed Margery Brown.

“It isn’t so much a question of where Jane may be as where we ourselves are, Buster,” answered Harriet Burrell, laughingly. “However, if she doesn’t come, why, we will make the best of it. This will not be the first time we have spent the night out of doors.”

“Are we lost?” gasped Hazel Holland.

“It looks very much as though we had gone astray,” replied Miss Elting, who was acting as guardian and chaperon to the Meadow Brook Girls.

“Oh, thave me!” wailed Grace Thompson, her impish little face appearing to grow several degrees smaller.

“Girls! Please do not become excited,” urged the guardian. “There is no cause for alarm. Even if we have lost our way we shall find it again on the morrow. Harriet, you have the map. Suppose we examine it again and see if we can find out where we are. We surely must be near human habitation, and the country is so open that really getting lost is quite impossible.”

Harriet Burrell unslung the pack that she carried over her shoulder, then felt about in it until she found that for which she was looking. She spread the map out on the ground at one side of the road, her companions gathering about and gazing down over her shoulder. Miss Elting sat down beside the map.

“Here! Trace our day’s route with the pencil,” she said. “This should be Harmon’s Valley. That being the case, the village of Harmon should be not more than a mile farther on.”