them luck," suggested Ben.

"Do you think it would affect the flavor?" Billie asked eagerly.

But Nancy, of a more adventurous spirit in cooking, recklessly dumped
all the vegetables together into one pot and set it on the kerosene
stove, which had been carried out by the ever-useful Ben and placed at
no great distance from the open fire.

Percy came up just then.

"How are the Gypsy cooks? Is the pot boiling? What's that thing that
looks like a pig in a blanket? Or is this a cannibal feast?"

"Run away, Algernon Percival, and don't ask so many questions," replied
Billie, stirring the pot.

"I've brought the dinner horn along," said Percy in an insinuating tone
of voice.

Even the Gypsy cooks laughed at this. Percy was the last person to rise
in the morning. He usually appeared with the coffee and eggs, but the
moment he waked up, he seized the trumpet from a nail in the wall at the
side of his bed and blew a long triumphant aria with variations. Then
from the camp fire at a safe distance from the log hut would come shouts
of derision from the others who had been up quite an hour. The table had
been carried out under the trees, and here in the early morning they had
their breakfast. Here also, they had their supper if it was ready
before dark and there were no lights to attract the myriads of
night-flying insects. But it did look this evening as if they would be
obliged to transfer all dishes and stools, table and eatables into the
house, unless the potatoes and onions could be impressed with the
importance of submitting to the inevitable.

Dr. Hume, just in from a long walk, tired and mortally hungry, now made
his appearance, and Miss Helen Campbell in dainty white, and without any
traces whatever of her recent experience with Mrs. Lupo, came trailing
across the clearing. There was an expectant expression on her face, as
of one who is thinking with inward pleasure of dinner. Elinor came with
a bowl of Michaelmas daisies and Mary brought up the procession,
carrying a platter of bread sliced so as not to destroy the shape of the
loaf, an accomplishment she was proud of.

Percy, seeing the gathering of the company, promptly lifted the trumpet
to his lips and blew a blast so startling and unexpected that Mary gave
a nervous shriek and dropped the bread to the ground.

"Oh, you wretch," she cried, "see what you have done! And what was the
use anyway, since dinner isn't ready and we are all here?"

"Don't be so