h to manufacture Tom's
butter and meal gravy in.

There was a copse of little firs, standing about a low, wet piece of
ground, a few hundred feet away. To these we had recourse for the
material to fill the bunks.

Thomas having collected a woodpile of good proportions, proceeded to put
on fourteen potatoes to boil, reckoning two for each member of the
party; and as the partridges were boiling briskly, fast progressing to
the cooked condition, Catherine made coffee. It was agreed, however,
that after that evening, we were to take coffee but once per day; and
everybody voted to have it in the morning.

Addison now busied himself devising a "table;" and in this matter he was
assisted by the labors of the previous party of deer-hunters who had
left a large board behind them, to be set on forked stakes, driven into
the ground; there were also two rough benches for seats.

It was not till after dusk had fairly settled over the wilderness that
our supper was pronounced ready by the many cooks who had taken a hand
in its preparation. The camp-fire was replenished, so that a genial glow
and plenty of light was diffused about; and then our meal began. We had
the three partridges quite well cooked; and Thomas had his dear gravy.
There were boiled potatoes and some pork, fried crisp, to suit Willis;
also boiled eggs for all and plenty of toasted bread with butter. Kate
had also brought a lot of "cookies," which went well with coffee.

Addison sat at one end of the table and dished out the partridges.
Theodora presided over the coffee; and Ellen and Kate looked after the
toast. The long jaunt had given us fine appetites and we cleared the
rude board of the eatables, enjoying it as only a hungry party of
campers, who have had their own supper to get and have waited an hour or
two for it to cook, can enjoy such a meal.

Dishes had then to be picked up, and water brought and heated; for
dishes must needs be washed.

"Oh dear!" sighed Ellen. "I did hope I could get to a place once where
there were no dishes to be washed. I always have it to do at home."

"You've got to that place!" exclaimed Thomas. "I'll wash them, if you
girls will agree to eat off them next meal and find no fault."

"I'll wipe them if Tom'll wash them!" cried Willis. "'Tis tough for
girls always to have to wash dishes."

"I agree to find no fault for one," said Ellen.

"We might do as they are said to do in the lumbering camps," remarked
Addison; "that i