d been spread out upon the
smooth grass, and plates set around on the squares of linen.

The fish had been cleaned by Yhon when caught, and now the boys returned
with a nice mess--enough for every one that morning. Mrs. Dickens kept
all her extra stock of food in the little loft of the cottage, and as
this annex was spared any damage by the fire, there was a supply of
cereals, flour, bacon, and other necessities for meals. With the thrift
of a good housekeeper, Mrs. Dickens had laid in a stock of purchases
when the Army Supply had been sold off at auction in the city. So Mrs.
Vernon found gallon cans of stewed prunes and other food-products on
hand.

In spite of all trouble and perplexities that morning, breakfast was a
cheerful meal. Prunes for fruit; hominy and other prepared cereals for a
second course; then fresh fish, fried in corn-meal jackets and browned
in bacon-fat, furnished a delicious third course with the hot
scout-bread. And all this was topped off with fragrant coffee.

Naturally, the conversation was about one thing--the fire and the
courage shown by the three scouts. The equally helpful work done by Mrs.
Vernon and the other scouts in caring for those who were rescued,
received but small notice. But they never as much as thought of it--with
Julie and Joan in a fair way to win a medal that would lift the entire
Troop to recognition at Headquarters in New York.

When breakfast was over, Mr. Gilroy expressed his other idea. "I have a
plan that may meet with general approval, but that remains to be seen.
Now listen carefully, while I speak, and then do as you like afterwards.
My boys and these girls are willing to teach you how to do what I am
about to propose, and help in any way we can to make every one
comfortable for the time being.

"You have no house to sleep in, and Mrs. Dickens will have no boarders
to help her meet her expenses and loss, unless we immediately find some
way to change all this seeming trouble. So this is my suggestion:

"We scouts are accustomed to sleeping out-of-doors and thus we know how
to make the finest beds out of the material Nature provides. We will
show every one how to weave these balsam beds that are superior to any
handmade spring and hair mattress.

"While you people are completing your beds, we will paddle up to a place
Yhon told me about, where a number of Indians camp. They make and sell
tents to parties coming to the Adirondacks for the summer. Then at the
e