Lady Rosalind when Mother Martha has it
for dinner. Isn't 'finnan haddie' a queer name?"

"Yes. I've heard Papa tell of it before. It's haddock smoked, some sort
of queer way. But this is nice--My! How nice this is! Umm, umm, umm!"
giggled Molly, as if she found something most amusing in the food she
smacked her lips over in such a very strange manner.

"Well, Molly Breckenridge, one thing I can say for you. That is: it's a
good thing Miss Rhinelander isn't here to see you now. You--you act like
a little pig. Excuse me, but you really do."

"Cats do like fish. Maybe it's a cat. Let's call it a cat, anyway,"
answered Molly, in no wise offended by her chum's plain speech.
Then lifting her voice she began to call: "Kitty! Kitty!
Kitty--kitty--kitty--kitty--kitty--come!" as fast as she could speak.

Just then Mrs. Cook came out to them to remove their plates and bring
them generous portions of "John's Delight," a dessert which Molly
declared was "first cousin to a Christmas plum pudding," and over which
she was tempted to smack her lips in earnest, not pretence. A momentary
soberness touched her merry face, however, when the hostess observed
with keen regret:

"I am so sorry Son isn't here to do the honors of this little picnic. I
don't see where he can have gone. His dinner on shore is always such a
pleasure to him and besides--I wanted him to meet you all in a private
fashion, not as a bugler aboard-ship."

"Maybe--maybe he is--_is_ doing the honors!" said Molly, half choking
over the strange remark. "Maybe he's--he can see--he's rather shy, isn't
he? The sailor said they called him the 'Bashful Bugler.' But he--he
bugles beautifully, especially first calls to meals which a seasick girl
can't eat. I--"

Then she stopped abruptly. Mrs. Cook was looking at her with much the
same expression Dorothy's mobile face had worn; and again from overhead
came that ominous crackle of breaking twigs. Also, a few crushed leaves
fluttered to the ground and caused Dorothy to exclaim:

"Must be a pretty big cat to tear things like that. Did you see it? Do
you suppose it's a wildcat? Don't they have all sorts of creatures in
the Nova Scotia woods? Do you suppose it's wild--"

"It certainly is. It's about the wildest thing I ever met--of its size.
Isn't this pudding delicious? If I was a hungry, a sea-starved cat how
angry I should be to be kept out of my share of it just by a couple of
girls. Girls are cats' natural enemies. Somet