There was no hurry--nine days
to do just as they liked in--so halfway along the sea-wall the Cubs and
Akela scrambled down some steep stone steps on to a tiny stretch of sand
not yet covered by the incoming tide. Boots and stockings were soon off,
sleeves and shorts tucked up, and everybody paddling deep in the cool
green water.

When they had all got thoroughly cool they went on their way, and at
last arrived at the Stable.

This was where they were to sleep. It consisted of a courtyard, a couple
of stalls, a coach-house, a shed, and two tiny rooms. Akela occupied one
of these, and the Cubs were divided into two groups. The Stable was in
charge of Bert, the Senior Sixer, and in his stall he had Bunny (a
Second), Dick (a big Cub very nearly ready to go up to the Scouts), and
Patsy, a small but lively Irishman. Sam, another Sixer, had in his stall
four young terrors--Terry, Wooler, Jack, and "Spongey" Ward. Then there
was the coach-house. This was in charge of Bill, the last Senior Sixer,
now a Cub Instructor. The other occupants were Jim, a Sixer (Bill's
young brother), "Mac," a Second, two brothers, "Big Andy" and "Little
Andy," and a rather new Cub called Bob.

It took a good while to stuff the palliasses with straw and unpack. But
when this was finished everyone had a good wash and changed into cool
old clothes--shorts and cotton shirts. Tea followed, in a jolly old
garden behind the bake-house. There was a seesaw in it, and the grass
was long and soft, and the shade of the apple-trees very cool. Then the
party ran up the hill to the camp field. Here there was a lot to do: the
bell tent to be pitched, the fireplace made, wood to be chopped, water
fetched, all the pots and pans unpacked, a swing and a couple of
hammocks to be put up, the two great sacks of loaves to be fetched, and,
oh! a hundred other things. But all the Cubs set to and did their best,
and at last all was ready.

"Now for the shore!" said Akela, and everyone cheered and ran for their
towels and bathing-drawers. It was only a few minutes' walk down to the
most lovely shore you can imagine--stretches and stretches of golden
sand and little, lapping waves. On one side you could see rocky points
running down into the greeny-blue sea, with trees growing right down to
the shore. An old, brown-sailed coal barge moved slowly past on the
gentle wind, the many browns of its patched sails forming a rich splash
of colour in the evening sun. The Cubs soon tur