E-text prepared by Mark C. Orton, Linda McKeown, Mary Meehan, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 29865-h.htm or 29865-h.zip: (https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/29865/pg29865-images.html) or (https://www.gutenberg.org/files/29865/29865-h.zip) HIGHACRES by JANE D. ABBOTT Author of "Keineth," "Larkspur" and "Happy House" With Illustrations by Harriet Roosevelt Richards Philadelphia and London J. B. Lippincott Company Copyright, 1920, by J. B. Lippincott Company Printed by J. B. Lippincott Company At the Washington Square Press Philadelphia, U. S. A. TO THOSE DEAR CHUMS "WRITE A STORY ABOUT SCHOOL," YOU ASKED ME. "WRITE A STORY IN WHICH THE HEROINE HAS A MOTHER AND A FATHER--WE'RE SO TIRED OF POOR ORPHANS," YOU BEGGED. I HAVE TRIED TO DO IT, ASKING YOUR FORGIVENESS FOR ONE LITTLE STEP-FATHER. TO YOU I AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATE THE STORY [Illustration: AMID THE UNFORGETTABLE SHOUTS OF THE BOYS AND GIRLS SHE SLID EASILY ON DOWN THE TRAIL] CONTENTS I. KETTLE MOUNTAIN II. SUNNYSIDE III. ON THE ROAD TO COBBLE IV. THE WESTLEYS V. JERRY'S WISH COMES TRUE VI. NEW FACES VII. HIGHACRES VIII. SCHOOL IX. THE SECRET DOOR X. THE DEBATE XI. AUNT MARIA XII. THE PARTY XIII. HASKIN'S HILL XIV. THE PRIZE XV. CUPID AND COMPANY XVI. FOR THE HONOR OF THE SCHOOL XVII. DISGRACE XVIII. THE RAVENS CLEAN THE TOWER XIX. THE LETTER XX. THE FAMILY COUNCILS XXI. POOR ISOBEL XXII. JERRY WINS HER WAY XXIII. THE THIRD VIOLINIST XXIV. PLANS XXV. THE LINCOLN AWARD XXVI. COMMENCEMENT XXVII. CRAIG WINTON XXVIII. HER MOTHER'S STORY XXIX. THE WISHING-ROCK ILLUSTRATIONS Amid the unforgettable shouts of the boys and girls she slid easily on down the trail She pointed down to the winding road One by one, quite breathless with excitement, they climbed to the tower room Gyp, Jerry, Tibby, even Graham, superintended Isobel's preparations for the dress rehearsal HIGHACRES CHAPTER I KETTLE MOUNTAIN If John Westley had not deliberately run away from his guide that August morning and lost himself on Kettle Mountain, he would never have found the Wishing-rock, nor the Witches' Glade, nor Miss Jerauld Travis.