Betty Gordon at Mountain Camp | Page 6

to know where the soldiers' monument is," she returned.
"Do you know?"
"Soldiers' monument am over that way," and the boy waved his hand to
one side, where there was a hilly street, and then hurried out of sight.
"Oh, dear! that's not very definite," sighed Betty.
But now she ran down the hilly street at a chance, turned a crooked
corner and came plump upon the square and the soldiers' monument.
There was the Littells' big, closed car just turning into the square from
another street.
"What luck! Fancy!" gasped Betty, running swiftly to the place where
the big car stopped.
"You're better than prompt, Miss Betty," said the driver of the car. "I
am glad I hadn't to wait for you, for Mister Bob told me particular to
get you home for luncheon. You'll be wanted."
"What for? Do tell me what for, Carter!" Betty cried. "I thought Bob
Henderson was awfully mysterious this morning at breakfast. Do you
know what is in the wind, Carter?"
"Not me, Miss Betty," said the chauffeur, and having tucked the robes
about her he shut the door and got into his own place. But before he
started the car he said through the open window: "I have to delay a little,
Miss. Must drive around by the bank and pick up Mr. Gordon. But I
will hurry home after that."
"Oh! Uncle Dick did go to the bank here," murmured Betty, nestling
back into the cushions and robes. "I wonder if he is going to stop off at
Mountain Camp on his way back to Canada. Oh!" and she sighed more
deeply, "if we could only go up there with him----"
The car stopped before the gray stone bank building. Uncle Dick
seemed to have been on the watch for them, he came out so promptly.
Although his hair was graying, especially about the temples, Mr.

Richard Gordon was by no means an old looking man. He lived much
out of doors and spent such physical energy only as his out-of-door life
yielded, instead of living on his reserve strength as so many
office-confined men do. Betty had learned all about that in physics. She
was thoroughly an out-of-door girl herself!
"Oh, Uncle Dick!" she cried when he stepped into the car, "are you
really and truly getting ready to go north again?"
"Must, my dear. Have still some work to do in spite of the ice and snow
in Canada. And, as I told you, I mean to stop and see Jonathan Canary."
"That is what I mean, Uncle Dick," she cried. "Will you go to that
lovely Mountain Camp all alo-o-one?"
"Mercy me, child, you never saw it--and in winter! You do not know
whether it is lovely or not."
"It must be," said Betty warmly, "You have explained it all so
beautifully to us. The lovely lake surrounded by hills, and the long
toboggan slide, and the skating, and fishing for pickerel through the ice,
and--Oh, dear me! if we can't go----"
"If who can't go?" demanded her uncle in considerable amazement.
"Why, me. And Bob. And Bobby Littell and Louise, and the Tucker
twins, and all the rest. We were talking about it last night.
It--would--be--won--der--ful!"
"Well, of all the--Why, Betty!" exclaimed Mr. Gordon, "you know you
must go right back to school."
"Yes, I know," sighed Betty. "It is like the fruits of Tantalus, isn't it?
We read about him in Greek mythology--poor fellow! He stood up to
his chin in water and over his head hung the loveliest fruits. But when
he stooped to get a drink the water receded, and when he stood on
tiptoe to reach the fruit, they receded too. It was dreadful! And
Mountain Camp, where your friend Mr. Canary lives, is just like that.

Uncle Dick. For us it is the fruits of Tantalus."
Uncle Dick stared at her for a moment, then he burst out laughing. But
Betty Gordon remained perfectly serious until they arrived at Fairfields.
CHAPTER III
OFF FOR A GALLOP
The crowd at the Littell lunch table (and it was literally a "crowd"
although the Guerin girls and some of the other over Christmas visitors
had already gone home) hailed Betty's arrival vociferously.
"How do you stand it?" asked Uncle Dick, smiling at Mrs. Littell who
presided at one end of the table. "I should think they would drive you
distracted."
Mrs. Littell laughed jovially and beamed at her young company. "I am
only distracted when Mr. Littell and I are here alone," she rejoined.
"This is what keeps us young."
"You've only a shake to eat in, Betty," exclaimed Bobby Littell, who
was very dark and very gay and very much alive all of the time. "Do
hurry. We're 'most through."
"Dear me! what can I eat