et to the woods. They chose a
lovely spot, grassy and smooth, not far from the path where the boys
would have to pass. They could hear their voices now, and the occasional
splash of an oar. They spread out their table-cloth, made a fire, and
Lil said she was going to scramble some eggs; meanwhile Ollie and Clara
could be on the watch to secure the guests.

It was a delightful afternoon, and a cool breeze was fluttering the
grasses. The water of the creek reflected the overhanging boughs in its
dark surface, water-spiders were spinning their little whirls, crickets
were singing, and swallows had begun their evening hunt.

The boys, tired and hungry, pushed their boat up on the bank. One or two
were elated with their success, and had quite a string of fish to show;
the others, disappointed, had been arguing as to their want of luck, and
had subsided into silence.

"Whew!" said Lil's brother Charlie; "I smell something good; wish I was
home; awful hungry. How is it with you, Ted?"

"Voracious."

"And you, Sam?"

"Tired as that trout I chased and didn't kill."

"My! how gamy you are!"

Here the group came to a sudden halt. Two small maids appeared from the
woods, and making a profound courtesy to Charlie as leader, began a
speech.

"Those bothersome girls again!" whispered Billy Brittain.

"The Misses Pokeby and the Misses Sinclair have the honor to--to-- Oh,
Clara, what was I to say?" asked Ollie, blushing tremendously.

"Cut it short, please; we're so hungry," put in Charlie.

"Well, I will. We want you boys to come and get some supper which _we_
have prepared for you--a sort of picnic, you know."

The boys gave a shout, flung down their traps, and made for the water to
wash hands and faces, only Ted looked ruefully at his string of fish.

"What is the matter, Ted?" said Lil, coming up, with her face all
flushed from being over the fire.

"Why, I was wishing we could have some of these for supper; but it's no
matter, after all."

"Oh yes, it is. If you'll scrape and fix them, I can put them in the
frying-pan in a jiffy."

So Ted went to work with a will.

Never had the boys tasted anything half so nice as that supper; they ate
till they could eat no more. Lil scrambled eggs, and fried fish, and
made tea, till Ollie insisted upon it that she should sit down and be
served like a princess. Then they sang, and danced, and played games
till Mrs. Pokeby and Miss Sinclair came after them, and carried them