“Now, ladies,” he said, in rather brisk business-like tones, “if some of you will manage one end pole, I’ll tackle the other. Then two of you mind the pole ropes, one to each, and pull them as tight as you can around the stakes. I’ll tighten ’em more later.” Mrs. Bonnell, Alice and Marie, stationed themselves at the front pole, while Old Hanson looked after the other. Natalie took the front rope, and Mabel the rear. “All ready!” called the volunteer helper. “Raise!” Lifting the end poles raised the top or ridge one, and the tent went with it, hanging down, as Marie said, “like a sheet on a line.” “Now fasten the end ropes!” called Mr. Rossmore. “Any way so’s they’ll hold.” Natalie and Mabel did their best, and soon the tent was partly stayed. Then, while the end poles were still held from toppling over sideways, under the direction of Old Hanson they secured the two middle side ropes to the pegs. “There!” cried their helper, letting go of the pole. “She’ll hold until we can peg her down. It will be easy now.” Rapidly the other side pegs were put in, the ropes tauted on them, and the tent was up. It only remained to further stretch the front and rear guy ropes, and fasten the sides of the canvas down to the wooden platform. It took some time to do this, and longer to put up the other tent, but finally it was accomplished. “Now I’ll help you put your trunks in,” offered Mr. Rossmore. “We can put up the flies on to-morrow.” “Flies!” exclaimed Natalie. “I guess he means fly paper; doesn’t he? Though I hoped we wouldn’t be bothered with insects up here.” “The ‘fly’ of a tent is a piece of extra canvas that goes over the top like a roof,” explained Mrs. Bonnell. “It keeps out hard rain. The boys will help us put them on,” she added to the old man. “But we will be glad to have you help us lift in the trunks,” for the girls’ baggage had been left at a dock near their camp by an early morning steamer, previous to their arrival. “Oh, to get off some of my things!” cried Alice, when they were in the privacy of the dressing tent, and Old Hanson had been thankfully dismissed with a dollar, handed him by Mrs. Bonnell, to pay him for his work. “I’m nearly dead with this Camp Fire outfit on over my other clothes.” “So am I!” confessed Natalie. “Oh, isn’t it lovely to be free, and not to have to primp before a glass.” “Speaking of glasses, I wonder if we brought one,” asked Mabel. “I did!” came in a chorus from the other three girls. “And to a camp!” reproached Mrs. Bonnell with a laugh. “Rule number one—seek beauty!” quoted Natalie. “She who needs it least,” murmured Alice. “No compliments—leave them for the boys—if we ever see them again,” warned Marie. “I’m famished!” declared Mabel. “Can’t we have a cup of tea?” “I’ll light the oil stove and make it,” volunteered the practical Marie. “But some one ought to look after the cots.”