At long last, it's time for
The Story of The Big Camp Secret!

The Girls started arriving a few days in advance, and by the day before the official first day of camp nearly everyone had arrived. Only two little girls had been delayed. “Well,” sighed Hitty Henrietta “At least the two girls are together, and we’ll bring back something special for them…”

What could Henrietta be talking about?! The girls wondered and whispered, but they couldn’t guess. Could it be connected to the “Big Camp Secret?!”

As soon as the girls had arrived, they had started to hear whispers about “The Big Camp Secret.” It seemed that Hitty Marigold from Mountain Ash Branch of Ash Grove Academy, (located in Reading, Massachusetts at Sara Cole Studios), had accidentally overheard something about a “Big Camp Secret” late one night between Mrs. Poppy and Hitty Henrietta. A secret? What’s the secret?! Was it really a BIG secret? A camp secret, or just a big secret? None of the girls could talk or think of anything else.

Friday evening, Mrs. Plum and Great Aunt Teddy held a special assembly, and the girls were mystified. They usually had the first camp assembly the official first day of camp.

With Julie’s help, Mrs. Plum stood to address the assembly. (It was sometimes hard for Mrs. Plum to stand on ‘her own two feet,’ but few dolls can boast steady balance!)

“Ahem! Young Ladies and Gentlemen!” began Mrs. Plum with great dignity, once she had been properly arranged with the aid of a doll stand, “I am sure you are wondering why we gathered you here tonight, instead of on our normal schedule. Well, you must get to bed early….,” Here she broke off for a moment to eye the excited campers sternly as they whispered in rebellion, “You MUST get to bed early tonight, because we will be departing very early tomorrow morning for a special, impromptu visit to Reading, Massachusetts!” Here she paused, with a broad grin, as excited whoops, clapping, and chattering broke out, and Butch fell off the stump he’d been climbing. She waited for the campers to become quiet.

“Now, you MAY be wondering if this is some kind of ‘secret,’” she said, with a twinkle in her eye, “But don’t worry, this really isn’t a secret, let alone a BIG secret, or a BIG CAMP secret. We’ll be telling all of your families about the visit to Reading. You’ll have to wait until the end of the trip to Reading to find out about the Big Camp Secret, and your Hitty Moms will have to wait until you arrive at home! It will be a secret and a surprise!”

But here she gave up, and finally shouted “Dismissed! Off to bed, Campers!” Over the roar that had broken out at the words “Big Camp Secret.” So it was true! Henrietta had said so! She had confirmed it! There really WAS a Big Camp Secret!

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