e fix a nice place," said Minnie. She brought a
couple of auto robes and made a smooth, soft bed under the tree.

"There he is!" she said. Mary, who had been unwrapping wads of
newspapers, produced a bottle of milk which she gave the baby. He
settled down to a quiet enjoyment of his meal, and Mary sighed as she
sat down at the edge of the tablecloth.

"I _do_ hope you won't mind if I look at everything," she said. "I never
_saw_ so many _lovely_ things in my life even in a delicatessen
window."

CHAPTER VII

The children, very, very solemn but oh so thrilled, seated themselves on
the grass and silently accepted the plates of good things that Helen and
Rosanna dished out for them. It is to be said for the everlasting credit
of the jello that it did _not_ melt, and the salad _did_ ride well,
although Minnie had gloomily expected it to be "all over the place" as
she expressed it.

How those children did eat! Commencing with the ham sandwiches and the
lettuce and egg sandwiches, and the cold hard-boiled eggs, and crackers
and olives, and fruit salad, and very, _very_ thin iced tea with lemon
in it, and jello for dessert!

About half way through the smaller children commenced to thaw out and
lose their shyness, and talk. _How_ they did talk! Myron said nothing
(but that was expected of Myron). When at last Rosanna was tipping up
the second thermos bottle to see if there was a drop of tea left, and
they were all eating the last cookies very, very slowly, partly to make
them last and partly because they were so full and comfortable, Rosanna
happened to notice Myron. She motioned to Helen to look. Myron had not
eaten everything. He had slyly lifted the tablecloth and had hidden
under it a ham sandwich rather nibbled as to edge, a small pile of
cookies (his share) and his plate of jello, which he had slipped off on
a paper napkin.

"He couldn't eat all his supper, and he is afraid we won't like it,"
whispered Rosanna.

"I am going to ask him," said Helen. She stepped over to the boy, who
was sitting close to his little pile of goodies as though trying to hide
it. "Couldn't you eat all your supper?"

Myron nodded.

Mary glanced quickly at her brother, and said, "Why, Myron, _whatever_
are you trying to do?"

Tommy piped up. "I guess he's going to take 'em home to eat on the way."

"I am _not_!" said Myron hotly, stung into self-defence as usual by his
brother. "I am _not_! Going to take it home to mamma an