ion was some two or three miles up the river. The water
was low, and Cynthia kept a sharp look-out for rocks.

"Keep to the left here, Neal," she directed; "that ledge runs all across
the river."

"I bet those Brenton fellows will scrape going through here. Not one in
a hundred would take the left. I haven't scraped once since I had the
canoe. The bottom is as smooth as the day she came, and that is saying a
good deal when the river is as low as it is now."

They skirted a huge oak-tree which had fallen half across the river,
and, passing through some gentle rapids, reached the cleared shady spot
on the bank where they were to eat their luncheon. The others soon
arrived, and preparations were immediately begun for building a fire.
The boys explored the neighborhood for dry sticks, and a cheerful little
blaze was soon crackling away on the bank. Potatoes had been buried
beneath to roast in the ashes, and the coffee-pot, filled with water
from a neighboring spring, was placed above. Dennis Morgan, whose coffee
was far-famed and unrivalled, superintended this part of the work.

The girls unpacked the baskets, and spreading a table-cloth, arranged
the goodies most temptingly thereon.

"Edith, you must do the oysters on the chafing-dish," said Gertrude; "no
one does them like you."

"Oysters! Have you really got oysters? How perfect!" cried Cynthia, who,
laden with cups and saucers, was stumbling over some stray boughs at the
imminent risk of herself and the crockery.

"Let me help you, Miss Franklin," said Bronson, coming languidly
forward.

"Oh no, thanks!" returned Cynthia, tartly. "I would not trouble you for
the world. You have quite enough to do."

Dennis Morgan, who heard her, turned away to hide a laugh. Bronson had
been leaning against a tree most of the time with his hands in his
pockets.

"Come, now, don't be too hard on a fellow, Miss Franklin. I'll do
anything you ask. A fellow feels kind of out of place, don't you know,
with so many working."

"Really! Well, if you are truly anxious to make yourself useful, perhaps
you will get some ferns to decorate the table?"

"Certainly," said Bronson, looking about him in a helpless way: "will
these do?" and he broke off a large brake.

"No, of course not. The ones I want grow at quite a distance from here,
over in those woods there," pointing. "Please get some."

"Oh, Miss Franklin, so far? But you will go with me, of course."

"'Of course,' did I hear