ing of something along that line. Wish I had some
of the fine oysters they tell us grow down South. Your sister Nellie
gave me several recipes to try, and I'm going to spring them on you the
first chance, see if I don't."

"Well, I only hope you have better success than the said Nellie usually
has. My dad threatens to send her to cooking school before she kills
off the entire family with her experiments. But as to the oysters, you
must wait till we get out of the river. This is fresh water. Mussels or
fresh-water clams grow in such places, but hardly oysters," observed
Frank.

"I'm going to tell Nellie what you said, when we get back," declared
Bluff.

"Well, it encourages me to know that you expect we will survive the
operation. But then, ten to one they are recipes she clipped from some
paper, and wants you to try for her. I'm going to keep an eye on you
whenever you hang around the fire, remember. You can bear watching,"
Frank continued.

"Glad to hear that, for some people can't," remarked the other calmly.

At which the laugh was on Frank; but he took it good-naturedly, as
always. It required a good deal to make him show signs of being provoked;
but like most people of that temperament, if ever he did lose his temper,
he was apt to be very angry indeed.

Presently they found what seemed to be a good place to tie up for the
night. A small boat, called the dinghy, or dinky, was trailed behind.
This might come in handy whenever they wanted to go ashore while the
motor-boat was anchored; or one of the boys might wish to use it for
fishing, gathering oysters, or shooting shore birds, later on.

The ground being high and dry just at that particular spot, they built a
fire and determined to cook supper ashore. There would likely be plenty
of opportunities for doing this aboard, later, and they could not resist
that chance for an open campfire.

Bluff was assisted by Jerry in getting the first supper. It turned out to
be appetizing. They had been in the woods so much now that even the
poorest cook in the club, Will, was picking up quite a little knowledge
of the art, and felt an occasional desire to show off.

The boys never got over joking poor Will about his first experience in
cooking rice, however. He had put the entire four pounds in a pot while
the rest were away. One of them, coming back to camp presently, found
Will in distress. He had filled every kettle and pannikin with the
swelling rice, and despite