at nothing would be
nicer than to take our kettle and tea-things, and after a ramble round
in search of blackberries, to picnic in any suitable spot where we
might happen to find ourselves when the pangs of hunger assailed us.

"Always allowing that George doesn't insist upon getting hungry before
four o'clock!" said Cathy. "He'll have to wait if he does. And don't let
him carry that basket, or you'll find the cake half gone! You take it,
Philippa dear, and give him the kettle instead."

"Fibs!" said George. "I wouldn't touch the tuck. I'll carry them both if
you like, and Cathy's satchel as well. Here, sling it over my back! Now
I call this returning good for evil, Madame Catherine, when you've just
been slanging me so hard!"

"Poor old Babe!" said Cathy soothingly. "You see, when people earn a bad
name, it is apt to stick. But to console you, we'll let you choose where
we shall go this afternoon; only make up your mind quickly, for we are
all ready and waiting."

"All right!" said George promptly. "Up the common, and round by the
oak-wood; there's a stream there where we can get water for the kettle,
and I know a place to camp in that's just A1."

We set off without further delay, and scrambled up the hill-side on to
the heathery common, where the blackberries were already ripening fast
on the low brambles. It took a considerable time to fill the large
milk-can which we had brought for the purpose, although there were four
pairs of hands hard at work; and I don't really think a very great many
had gone into our mouths, in spite of the suspicious stains round
George's lips.

"Hullo, it's after half-past three!" cried Dick at last, looking at his
watch. "If we want to get to the oak-wood, and then light a fire and
boil the kettle, it will take us all our time to get tea by four
o'clock, I can tell you!"

So, mounting the stile into the lane, we set off in the other direction
down the hill, and by climbing a steep wall found ourselves at last in a
pretty little wood, carpeted with soft green grass, and with a clear
stream running through the midst.

"Here's the place!" said George, pointing to a kind of natural arbour,
formed partly by the bank, and partly by the roots of a huge oak-tree,
the branches of which stretched far overhead, and made a green roof with
their interlacing leaves. "I found it out once when I came here alone,
and I put these logs inside for seats. It makes a ripping summer-house,
and I made