was over.

"I suppose we may have the boat," said Valentine.

"Oh, yes. I'm coming with you myself," answered Raymond; which
announcement was received by Miss Barbara with an exclamation of
"Bother!" which, fortunately, was only overheard by Jack, who smiled,
and pinched her under the table.

It did not take long to transport the provisions and materials from the
pony-carriage to the boat, and the party were soon under way. It was a
splendid afternoon for a river excursion. Raymond, who had not offered
to carry a thing on their way to the bank, lolled comfortably in the
stern, leaving the other boys to do the work, and the girls to
accommodate themselves as best they could. He was evidently accustomed
to having his own way, and assumed the position of leader of the
expedition.

"Have you finished school?" asked Jack.

"I don't go to one," answered the other; "I have a private tutor. I
think schools are awful rot, where you're under masters, and have to do
as you're told, like a lot of kids. I'm seventeen now. I'm going
abroad this winter to learn French, then I'm coming home to read for
the law. I say, why don't you row properly?"

"So I do."

"No, you don't; you feather too high."

"There you go again," continued the speaker petulantly a few moments
later; "that's just how the Cockneys row."

"Sorry," said Jack meekly. "Look here, d'you mind showing me how it
ought to be done?"

Raymond scrambled up and changed places with Jack. "There," he
said--"that's the way--d'you see? Now, try again."

"No, thanks," answered Jack sweetly, "I'd rather sit here and watch
you; it's rather warm work. I think I'll stay where I am."

Raymond did not seem to relish the joke, but it certainly had the
wholesome effect of taking him down a peg, and rendering him a little
less uppish and dictatorial for the remainder of the journey.

At Starncliff the right bank of the river rose rocky and precipitous
almost from the water's edge. There was, however, a narrow strip of
shore, formed chiefly of earth and shingle; and here the party landed,
making the boat fast to the stump of an old willow.

"We promised Queen Mab that we wouldn't be very late," said Valentine,
"so I should think we'd better have tea at once; it'll take some time
to make the water boil."

There is always some special charm about having tea out of doors, even
when the spout of the kettle gets unsoldered, or black beetles invade
the tablecloth.