spring of water there and a hollow for a fire, and everything."

"Pantry full of dishes and a tablecloth, I suppose," broke in
the irrepressible Whopper. "I do love a picnic ground where you
can pick napkins off the bushes and toothpicks, too."

The boys pushed the rowboat on its way and soon reached the spot
that Shep had mentioned, and there they tied up at a tree-root
sticking out of the river bank. Beyond was a cleared space and
a semi-circle of stones with a pole in two notched posts for a
fire and kettle. They soon had a blaze started and Whopper filled
the kettle at the spring and hung it to boil.

"This is just a taste of what is to come," said Snap. "At this
meal we'll have our sandwiches, cake and some hot coffee. It
will be different when we broil our deer meat, or something like
that, and make hot biscuits."

"And roast our bear steaks," put in Whopper. "Just wait till
you see the bear I shoot!"

"He means the bear he runs away from," said Shep, and this caused
a laugh.

As soon as the water was boiling they made coffee, and then all
sat around to enjoy their first meal in the open. The adventures
of the morning had given them all good appetites, and they did not
stop until the entire allowance had disappeared.

"No more just now," said Snap. "We must keep something for supper