To share one teaspoon between three, and spread jam
with the handle-end of it, is most enjoyable, and people who picnic
with a full allowance of knives and forks to each person ought never to
be allowed to take meals in the open. Jack and Valentine set about
collecting stones to build a fireplace, and there being plenty of dry
driftwood about, they soon had a good blaze for boiling the water. The
girls busied themselves unpacking the provisions; but Raymond Fosberton
was content to sit on the bank and throw pebbles into the river.

The repast ended, the kettle and dishes were once more stowed away in
the boat, and Valentine proposed climbing the cliff.

"It looks very steep," said Helen.

"There's a path over there by those bushes," answered her brother.
"Come along; we'll haul you up somehow."

The ascent was made in single file, and half-way up the party paused to
get their breath.

"Hallo!" cried Jack, "there's a magpie."

On a narrow ledge of rock and earth at the summit of the cliff two tall
fir-trees were growing, and out of the top of one of these the bird had
flown. The children stood and watched it, with its long tail and sharp
contrast of black and white feathers, as it sailed away across the
river.

"One for sorrow," said Helen.

"I shouldn't like to climb that tree," said Valentine. "It makes my
head swim to look at it, leaning out like that over the precipice."

"Pooh!" answered Raymond; "that's nothing. I've climbed up trees in
much worse places before now."

Helen frowned, and turned away with an impatient twitch of her lips.

Jack saw the look. "All right, Master Fosberton," he said to himself;
"you wait a minute."

They continued their climb, and reaching the level ground above
strolled along until they came opposite the tall tree out of which the
magpie had flown.

"There's the nest!" cried Jack, pointing at something half hidden in
the dark foliage of the fir. "Now, then, who'll go up and get it?"

"No one, I should think," said Helen. "If you fell, you'd go right
down over the cliff and be dashed to pieces."

"I know I wouldn't try," added her brother. "I should turn giddy in a
moment."

"Will you go?" asked Jack, addressing Raymond.

"No," answered the other.

"Why, I thought you said a moment ago that you've climbed trees in much
worse places. Come, if you'll go up, I will."

"Not I," retorted Raymond sulkily; "it's too much fag."

"Oh, well, if you're afraid,