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                            EIGHT GIRLS AND
                                 A DOG




[Illustration: “‘WELL, YOU _ARE_ A PROPER-LOOKING LOT!’ MRS. LENNOX
EXCLAIMED AS THE GIRLS FILED IN.”]




                         S^{T}. NICHOLAS BOOKS

                                 EIGHT
                               GIRLS AND
                                 A DOG

                           _BY_ CAROLYN WELLS

                   NEW YORK • THE CENTURY CO • MCMIV




                          Copyright, 1902, by
                            THE CENTURY CO.
                                  ———
                       _Published October, 1902_

                           THE DEVINNE PRESS




                                   TO

                         LOUISE FRANCES STEVENS




                                CONTENTS

                                 CHAPTER                 PAGE
                 I PILLOWS AND PITCHERS                     3
                II ON THE ROAD                             22
               III THE FUN BEGINS                          41
                IV THE “WHITECAP”                          63
                 V THE ENCHANTED PRINCESS                  82
                VI HESTER’S DINNER                         99
               VII THE INDIAN CALLER                      121
              VIII FRITTERS AND SALAD                     137
                IX GENIUS BURNS                           151
                 X THE PLAY’S THE THING                   168
                XI A SUCCESSFUL PERFORMANCE               187
               XII THE BOYS’ ENTERTAINMENT                200
              XIII HIDE-AND-SEEK                          213
               XIV WILLING SERVICE                        231
                XV HILARIOUS HOSPITALITY                  244
               XVI A WELCOME INVITATION                   256




                        LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

                                                         PAGE
           “Well, you _are_ a proper-looking   _Frontispiece_
             lot!” Mrs. Lennox exclaimed as
             the girls filed in

           “Mr. Bond is holding Timmy Loo,”                25
             said Helen

           Marjorie and Millicent ordering                 51
             things alternately

           Millicent declared she looked like              61
             Tweedledee prepared for his fight
             with Tweedledum

           “Who are you?” she said in a low,               93
             mysterious whisper

           “This is the only correct and                  113
             elegant way to fill a swing-lamp”

           Timmy Loo                                      133

           The gem of the collection                      235




               NOTE.—A portion of this book was published
               in the “St. Nicholas Magazine”
               under the title of “Hilarity Hall.”




                            EIGHT GIRLS AND
                                 A DOG




                               CHAPTER I


                          PILLOWS AND PITCHERS

‟IS there any way to pack pillows in pitchers?” said Marjorie, framing
herself in the front doorway, one hand grasping recklessly the handles
of three large pitchers, and both arms full of sofa-pillows.

The group on the veranda looked up at her doubtfully.

“Yes,” said brilliant Nan. “Have your pitchers bigger than your pillows,
and the thing is done.”

“But the pillows are bigger than the pitchers.”

“Then pack the pitchers in the pillows,” said Betty.

“Why, of course! Betty, you’re a genius!” And Marjorie disappeared with
her burdens, while the girls on the veranda fell to chattering again
like half a dozen shirt-waisted magpies.

Now I know that a story with eight heroines is an imposition upon even
the gentlest of readers; but you see there were eight girls in the Blue
Ribbon Cooking Club; and when their president, Marjorie Bond, proposed
that they go down to Long Beach and spend a fortnight all by themselves
in her father’s cottage, the whole club rose up as one girl and voted
aye.

Objections were disposed of as fast as they were raised. Permission? The
girls were sure that the sixteen parents concerned could be persuaded to
see the matter in a favorable light. Expense? That should be divided
equally among them all. Trouble? Would be more than compensated by the
fun. Luggage? Not so very much required; the house was completely
furnished, except with linen and silver, and each girl should take her
share. Burglars? That idea caused some apprehension; but when Marjorie
said that Uncle Ned and Aunt Molly would be right next door, plans were
suggested sufficient to scare any reasonably cautious burglar out of his
wits. And so the preliminaries had been arranged, and the date decided
upon, and the day had come