The boat was a great acquisition; but when they were paddling ashore for
the fourth time, "to turn her over and let the water out," Dabney
remarked,--

"It's after dinner-time, boys. Could either of you fellows eat any
thing?"

"Eat?" said Frank. "I'd forgotten that. Yes, let's have lunch. But
there's more cold johnny-cake than any thing else in the basket."

"There's plenty of salt and pepper though; and it won't take any time at
all to make a fire, and broil some fish. Didn't you ever go on a
chowder-party, and do your own cooking?"

"No, I never did."

"Nor I," said Ford very reluctantly. "Can we do it?"

"Do it? I'll show you. No kettle. We'll have to broil. You fellows make
a fire, while I clean some of these fish."

It was every bit as good fun as catching those fish, to cook them there
on the shore of that lovely little lake. Dabney did know all about it,
as became a "'longshore boy;" and he took a particular pride in showing
Ford and Frank how many different ways there were of cooking a fish
without an oven or a kettle or a gridiron.

It was another fine point to discover, after they had eaten all they
could, including the cold johnny-cake, that they did not seem to have