by the boys who were already there.

The trout stream was a long one, but all of its meanderings were well
known to Sam and Ephraim, who were old residents of the locality.

The girls waited while the two men went to reconnoitre.

After a time the scouts returned.

"They're away up the brook," said Long Sam, "but all their grub and
things is stacked in the clearing, and I reckon they'll be coming along
back in about an hour to feed. They started pretty early and I reckon
they can't hold out much longer 'thout their grub. What next, ladies?"

"You, Sam, help us unpack our hampers," said Dolly, who was directing
affairs, "and you, Ephraim, go and gather up all their foodstuff and
either hide it around there or bring it back here."

"Yes'm," and old Ephraim trudged away, intent only on obeying orders to
the letter.

He returned with a big basket on either arm.

"Thought I'd better fetch it along," he said; "them chaps would hunt it
out wherever I hid it. I left 'em all their cooking things, pots and
pans, but poor fellers, they won't have nothin' to cook!"

"Here's their coffee," cried Edith Holmes, who was peering into the
baskets. "And here's bacon and eggs, oh, what horrid looking stuff! And
loaves of dry bread! Guy and Elmer just hate plain bread. _May be_ they
won't care for our sandwiches!"

"Let's make coffee!" said Dotty; "there's nothing so good at a camp
feast as coffee. Don't you love it, Edith?"

"Mother doesn't let me have it, but make it all the same, the boys adore
it."

"We can have one cup," said Dotty; "Mother allows that. But I'm going to
make it, the boys will be crazy about it. You scoot back and get the
coffee pot, Ephraim, and the big long spoon, they'll probably have one."

Back went Ephraim on his errand, and when he returned his eyes were
greeted by the sight of the daintily spread luncheon.

Heavy brown papers had been spread on the ground, and these were covered
with a tablecloth of white crepe paper with a design of green ferns for
a border. Real ferns were laid here and there under the dishes of good
things, and piles of white pasteboard plates and paper napkins were in
readiness.

"What about coffee cups?" exclaimed Maisie. "I know they only have
horrid old tin things."

"Oh, we've lots of paper drinking cups," said Dotty, "those pretty
pleated ones, they'll be lovely for coffee. Say, Sam, I want this coffee
to be just right, and I wish you'd make it. I know how, but I'm s