ic?" demanded Blue Bonnet.

"Hardly!" laughed Amanda. "It would take a good deal more than that!
No offence, Blue Bonnet,--I like you best when you're--the other
thing. The Germans are always arguing about something or other. We
used to take sides in class and nearly come to blows."

"You should have taken French," said Blue Bonnet, before she thought.

"You didn't think that last March!" Amanda teased; and the next moment
could have bitten her tongue out for the thoughtless speech. Blue
Bonnet did not smile; it was evident that the memory of the day when
all the members of the French class except herself had "cut" was still
a bitter one.

"I'll wash the potatoes," Amanda offered in amend for having touched a
painful chord.

"All right!" Blue Bonnet beamed acceptance of the kind intention and
handed over the pan without hesitation. "I'll make up a hot fire, and
we'll get everything started and the table set,--then you and I are
going to the Spring."

"Oh, are we?" asked Amanda blankly. One never knew what scheme lurked
in the back of Blue Bonnet's head.

"For table decorations. I saw some ferns and wild honeysuckle near the
bank, and it won't take much time to gather enough for the table."

"Decorating the table isn't 'simple,' is it?" Amanda asked rather
provokingly.

"If you know anything simpler than a wildflower, I'd like to be shown
it," retorted Blue Bonnet. "Come on, we must do some tall hustling."

The "tall hustling" got the table set in a rather sketchy fashion;
hurried the potatoes into a scorching oven; placed the already cooked
roast in the top of the same oven at the same time; and saw Blue
Bonnet and Amanda headed for the Spring, bearing a fruit-jar and the
camp's only carving-knife, just as Uncle Joe came up the bank with a
fine string of speckled trout.

"All ready to fry, Honey," he said, holding them up proudly.

"Hide them quick!" cried Blue Bonnet in alarm, "shooing" him back
towards the creek.

Used as he was to Blue Bonnet's impetuosity, this move of hers filled
him with amazement. "What's the matter,--they're perfectly good
trout!" he urged.

"They're lovely. But I wouldn't fry one for ten million dollars! Keep
them for breakfast, Uncle Joe,--Sarah will know how to do them
beautifully."

With an understanding chuckle, Uncle Joe went off to cache his string
of beauties in a cool place along the creek; and Blue Bonnet and
Amanda continued their quest for ferns.

As they were r