llows told me to come on ahead, and say
to you ladies that they would be here as soon as they got through
scouring their frying pan."

"Poor boys," said Amy impulsively. "Why don't they bring the things
here?"

But Mollie's thoughts took another direction. "I hope they bring back
the sapolio," she said practically. "It was the only cake we had."

Betty paused half way to the kitchen and balanced her pile of dishes on
one hand. "Mollie," she cried in dismay, "they will never think of it!
Don't you think you had better go back and tell them, Frank?" she said.

"Sure!" he answered obligingly, while he sunk into an easy chair with a
sigh of content. Evidently he was settled for the evening.

"Then why don't you go?" Mollie demanded impatiently. "If boys aren't
the most aggravating things, when they want to be!" she added.

"There's plenty of time," Frank assured her calmly. "I left the fellows
in the first throes of cleaning up--they won't be through for half an
hour at least."

"Well, I don't care," said Betty, continuing her journeyings into the
kitchen. "If we haven't anything to scour the pans with, then they'll
not get scoured--that's all."

"That's the spirit I like to see," said Frank, and Betty could have
thrown something at him, with the greatest of pleasure. "It's fine to
see anybody resigned to the inevitable."

"Well, I know one thing," Mollie threatened, "if you don't go back in
five minutes, I will," and for emphasis she banged the salt cellar
forcibly upon the table.

"What's the matter with our going together?" Frank inquired, moving his
head slightly to bring Mollie within his range of vision. "The distance
won't seem half as far if I have such pleasant company," he added
gallantly.

"Don't do it," Betty, coming in from the kitchen, advised. "Make him
work a little."

"Oh, you're only jealous because I didn't ask you," Frank teased. "I
always knew you thought a good deal of me, Betty."

She made a little face at him, but did not deign to reply. Indeed, why
should she--the accusation was so plainly absurd?

Long before they had expected, voices were heard in the distance and the
most unearthly noises broke the woodland stillness. There was a banging
of wood upon tin and the clatter of utensils mingling with the
outrageous uproar from three pairs of sound and healthy lungs. There
were shouts and war cries and yells, combining in a weird clamor that
could be heard for miles around--or so it s