shabby clothes, and his
masterfulness rather pleased her--hitherto Judy had ruled every boy
within her domain, and Launcelot was a new experience.

It was a hungry crowd that trooped to the great gray rock where the
table was spread.

"How beautiful you have made it look, Judy," cried Anne, as she came
up, blissfully unconscious of a half-dozen new freckles and a burned
nose.

Nannie May sniffed. "Fish," she said, ecstatically, "our fish, oh,
Amelia, don't things look _good_."

Amelia surveyed the table solemnly. She was a fat, rather dumpy girl
of twelve. She was noted principally for two things, her indolence and
her appetite, and it was in deference to the latter that she sighed
rapturously as she surveyed the table. She had never seen anything
just like it. The country picnics of the neighbors always showed an
amazing array of cakes and pies and chicken, but these were here, and
added to them were sandwiches of wonderful and attractive shapes,
marvelous fruits, bonbons, and chocolates, and salads garnished with a
skill known to none other in the village but the accomplished Perkins.

As her eyes swept over the table, they were arrested by the platter of
fish. In spite of Perkins' overplentiful border of cress and sliced
lemon--put on to hide deficiencies, the four fish looked pitifully
inadequate.

"I caught four myself," said Amelia, heavily, pointing an accusing
finger at the platter, "and Anne caught three and Nan three--there were
ten."

Launcelot groaned. "I wish you weren't quite so good at arithmetic,
Amelia," he said, "we shall have to confess--we burned the rest up--and
please ma'am, we are awfully sorry."

They all laughed at the funny figure he made as he dropped on his knees
before the stolid Amelia--but into Judy's cheeks crept a little
flush--"I--" she began, with a tremble in her voice; but Launcelot
interrupted; "we will never do it again," he promised, and then as they
laughed again, he rose and stood at Judy's side.

"Don't you dare tell them that you did it," he whispered, and once more
she felt the masterfulness of his tone. "I should have watched the
fire--it was as much my fault as yours," and with that he picked up a
pile of cushions, and went to arrange a place for her at the head of
the table.

Amelia ate steadily through the menu. She was not overawed by Perkins,
nor was her attention distracted by the laughter and fun of the others.
It was not until the ice-cream wa