specially asked his aunt to have put
with the other picnic things, in order to carry out thoroughly the idea
of "camping out" as he had read about it in books; and, besides slinging
the kettle artistically in the way described, he also filled it with
water from a stone jar which they had brought with them, as a precaution
in the event of their not being able to get any of drinkable quality
where they intended making a halt, Mrs Gilmour expressing some little
repugnance to his taking any out of the brook, although they had been
glad enough previously to use it for washing their scratched faces. She
said it had too many dead leaves and live creatures in it for her taste.

Under the filled kettle, too, Bob had lit a fire, for which Nell and
Dick collected the sticks; and, long before luncheon was done, this was
blazing up quite briskly, and the kettle singing away at a fine rate.

By and by, when the Captain declared he couldn't eat another morsel, and
Bob and Nellie also had had enough, Mrs Gilmour heaped up a couple of
plates with the remains of the veal-and-ham pie for Hellyer and Dick,
who had all this time been busily employed ministering to their various
wants, and now retired some little distance off to enjoy their well-
earned meal.

Then came Bob's turn for action.

"The kettle is boiling, auntie," he cried out, poking fresh sticks in
the fire, which crackled and spitted out as the sap in pieces of the
greener wood caught the heat, the smoke ascending in a column of spiral
wreaths, and making Bob's eyes smart on his getting to leeward of the
blazing pile. "Shall we have tea now?"

"Yes, my dear boy," said she in a very pathetic voice. "Do, please,
make it as quick as you can, I feel quite faint for want of some, as it
is long past the time for my usual afternoon cup."

"All right, auntie," replied Bob, bustling about with great zeal, "I
will get it ready in a jiffy. But, where's the tea?"

"It's in the teapot, I suppose, my dear; and you'll find that in the
hamper with the teacups. Nellie and I thought we wouldn't unpack them
until they were wanted."

Nell, who had been sitting between her aunt and the Captain, on hearing
her name introduced, at once got up to help Bob; but in spite of every
search, neither of them could find the tea.

As in the case of the bread, the "good Sarah" had forgotten it; for,
neither in teapot, teacups or elsewhere could the tea be seen!

"Well, ma'am!" exclaimed the Cap