alcolm. The girls would not help, and the
whole row of boys floundered among the names for a while, unwilling to be
beaten by the youngest member of the party, and a girl, at that. Finally,
by their united efforts and a hint from Miss Allison, they succeeded.

"Malcolm, Ranald, and Rob, Keith and Freddy, and James,
Joe the Ogre, and George. Those are the boys' eight names."

"Let's make a law," suggested Kitty, "that nobody at the table can say
anything from now on till we are through supper, unless they speak in
rhymes."

They all agreed, but for a few minutes no one ventured a remark. Only
giggles broke the silence, until Allison asked Freddy Nicholls to pass the
pickles. Recorded here in a book, it may seem a very silly game, but to
the jolly camping party, ready to laugh at even the sheerest nonsense, it
proved to be the source of much fun. Even Freddy, to his own great
delight, surprised himself and the company by asking Elise to take some
cheese. Joe was thrown into confusion by Kitty's asking him if flesh,
fowl, or fish, was his favourite dish. As he could only nod his head, he
had to pay a forfeit, and Keith answered for him by saying, "That's not a
fair question to Joe. An ogre eats all things, you know." So it went on
until Mrs. Walton said:

"Now all who are able, may rise from the table.
The camp-fire's burning bright.
Spread rugs on the ground, and gather around,
And we'll all tell tales in its light."

"This is the jolliest part of it all!" exclaimed Keith, a little later,
as, stretched out on a thick Indian blanket, he looked around on the
circle of faces, glowing in the light of the leaping fagot-fire. Twilight
had settled on the camp. The tumbling of the waterfall over the rocks made
a subdued roar in the background. An owl called somewhere from the depths
of the woods. As the dismal "Tu-whit, tu who-oo" sounded through the
gloaming, Lloyd glanced over her shoulder with a shudder.

"Ugh!" she exclaimed. "It looks as if the witch's orchard might be there
behind us, with all sorts of snaky, crawlin' things in it. Come heah,
Hero. Let me put my back against you. It makes me feel shivery to even
think of such a thing!"

The dog edged nearer at her call, and she snuggled up against his tawny
curls with a feeling of warmth and protection.

"Wish I had a dog like that," said Jamie, fondly stroking the silky ear
that was nearest him. "I wouldn't take a thousand dollars for