the more practical direction by announcing plaintively, "My stomach is
so hungry that it hurts, Aunt Peggy. I wish I had the teentiest bit of a
sandwidge."

"Poor dear," cried Peggy, "I believe I'm hungry myself." And then with
surprising unanimity, each picnicker from Aunt Abigail down, declared
herself on the verge of starvation. The big baskets were taken from the
wagon, a red and white checked table-cloth spread upon the grass, and
various appetizing viands set out in order. From one of the springs
which sent a trickling tribute down the sides of the ravine to the brook
below, water was brought for the lemonade.

Lucy Haines, who had lent deft assistance, had barely seated herself
upon the grass, before she was on her feet again. "The sun's got at poor
old Bess already," she said, as Peggy glanced up inquiringly. "I'll have
to tie her in the shade, or I can't enjoy my luncheon."

Bess, who was gazing on the landscape with lack-lustre eyes, submitted
to be led into the shade of a big maple, without evidencing any especial
appreciation of Lucy's thoughtfulness. Lucy tied the halter to the snake
fence, and returned to the group on the grass, who were already
justifying their claims regarding their appetite by an indiscriminate
slaughter of sandwiches.

"After we've eaten--I don't want you to look like a row of Indian famine
sufferers--I'm going to take a picture of the crowd," announced Amy.
"Don't you think it's nice to have little souvenirs of such good times?
Pass the stuffed eggs to Lucy, somebody. She hasn't eaten anything."

"I've made a pretty good beginning, I think," said Lucy with the grave
smile which made her seem a score of years older than her light-hearted
companions. She helped herself to an egg, and immediately dropped it on
the table-cloth and sprang to her feet. "Oh, dear!" she exclaimed in a
tone of consternation.

The others rose as hastily. Farmer Cole's Bess was stamping frantically,
and pulling on her halter in a way that bore eloquent testimony to the
stability of Lucy's knots.

"I've tied her close to a hornets' nest," explained Lucy, her voice
still indicating dismay. "She's stamped about and stirred them up. Well,
there's only one thing to do. She's got to be untied before things are
any worse."

"Wait!" Peggy had seized her arm. "If you go over there you'll get
stung."

"But if we leave her alone, she'll plunge around, and as likely as not
she'll be stung to death."

"I'm going