Jack had to do his
share of the work.

The visitors did not come until supper was done, and everything was
eaten up; not even a bit of fish was left over. So the Blairs had to go
to their stores and find something they could get ready quickly, and
something very hearty as well.

"These fellows are as hungry as hunters," Mr. Blair said, while the men
were washing up in the lake and getting ready for supper. "Here's some
tinned meat; let's have that, with potatoes in it."

"But potatoes take so long to cook--"

"Not the way I'm going to cook them; only ten minutes. You can peel four
and slice them very thin, and put them in cold water, and then peel and
slice an onion while I open the meat and boil the kettle for coffee.
Then I'll show you how to make a:"

TEN-MINUTE STEW

4 potatoes, sliced very thin.
1 onion, sliced thin.
1 can of tinned meat (not corned beef).
Salt and pepper.
1 rounded tablespoonful of flour.
1 large cup of cold water.

Put the potatoes on to cook in a saucepan of boiling salted water.
Then put the onion in a hot frying-pan with a tablespoonful of
pork or bacon fat, and fry brown. Put the flour in the cold water
and stir till it is smooth, and mix this with the onion and stir
it up; when the potatoes are done, drain them and add next, and
then put in the sliced meat and heat; do not boil.

By the time this was done, the coffee was ready too, and the nice hot
stew was served with large cups of the coffee and plenty of bread and
butter. With a second cup of coffee and crackers and cheese, their
guests had made an excellent supper.

The next morning, Jack got up extra early, because he knew everybody
would be anxious to go fishing. So he soon had the kettle boiling and
the breakfast started, and cooked it all by himself while the men
dressed. The principal dish was:

FRIED SALT PORK

Slice thin and put in a frying-pan with enough warm water to
cover; stir it around till the water begins to simmer, and turn
this all off and drain the pork. Then fry till crisp. Put this in
a hot dish near the fire while you make the gravy.

1 tablespoonful of flour.
2 cups of boiling water.
A little pepper.

Put the flour in the grease in the frying-pan, and rub till smooth
and brown; add the water slowly, stirring all the time, and then
the pepper; when smooth and a little thick, pour over the fried
pork.

W