"It is just to the left of us; I can see the opening between the
trees," answered Harriet. She moved in the direction she had
indicated, "Here it is. Come on, girls."

The others picked their way cautiously to her. Harriet started up the
road at a run, followed by the others and accompanied by the "plush,
plush, plush!" of shoes nearly full of water. Tommy sat down.

"What are you doing on the ground?" shrieked Margery, as she stumbled
and fell over her little companion. "Why don't you tell me when you
are going to sit down, so that I won't fall over you?"

"You wouldn't, if you weren't tho fat."

"Tommy!" broke in Miss Elting. The whole party had come to a halt,
following Margery's mishap.

"I beg your pardon, Mith Elting. I forgot. Buthter ithn't dry yet.
What am I doing? Yeth, I'm bailing out my thhoeth. Ugh! How they do
thtick to my feet. Oh, I can't get them on again!" wailed Tommy.

"What a helpless creature you are," answered Harriet laughingly.
"Here, let me help you. There. You see how easy it is when once you
make up your mind that you really can."

"No, I don't thee. It ith too dark. Help me up!"

"Take hold of my hand. Here, Margery, you get on the other side. We
three will run together. Everyone else keep out of our way."