some bread and butter," and
cried loud and long.

"If we only had matches," sobbed Kitty, after Ted's cries had hushed a
little, "we could make a fire, and--and maybe find something to roast."

Ted stopped crying by trying very hard, and began to examine his
pockets. The prospect of a bonfire is cheering even to a hungry boy.
First a dull jackknife was laid on the rock, then two nails, then a
little rusty hinge, then a piece of slate-pencil, then a brass button
with an eagle on it, then more slate-pencil, then a piece of string
wound into a ball, then half of a match--the end that wouldn't go! Then
happily he thought of his inside pocket, and the hole that was in it!
Feeling along the lining of his jacket, there in its corner was
something which might be--yes, it _was_ a match!

"We won't care very much about it anyway," said experienced Kitty, "and
then it will be more apt to burn." Nevertheless, after they had piled up
some dry leaves, and laid birch "quirls" and small sticks over the top,
she struck the match across the sole of her shoe, shielded it with her
hand, and watched it anxiously. The little blue light quivered, paled,
almost went out, and then leaped cheerfully upon a dry leaf, and in an
instant the pile was alive with snaps and sparkles and dancing flames.
The children gave quite a merry shout.

"And now what'll we roast?" said poor Ted.

"We must fix the fire so it won't spread first," said Kitty; and she
carefully scraped away all the leaves and sticks that were near. Then
she took her brother's hand, and started to look for she hardly knew
what, but trying with all her motherly little heart to think of
something likely to be found in such a woods.

"Sour grapes roasted wouldn't be very nice, but maybe they'd be a sort
of a relish, you know, Ted;" and she stopped by a tree overgrown with
wild grapes, and began looking for the not very tempting clusters.

"Why, here are some that are nearly ripe. See! really purple a little."

Suddenly something alive sprang out of the brambles at their feet, and
whirred away with a tremendous rush.

"It's the pattridge nest, sure's you live!" said Ted, diving down among
the leaves; and after a minute's eager search they were found--two,
four, six, eight, nine speckled eggs in the cozy nest. "We'll leave one
for the poor pattridge to come back to, won't we Kit?" said Ted, swiftly
placing them in his hat.

More wood was piled upon the little fire, and they wait