to have supper with
us, and are to bring up a guide and some coon dogs for our hunt later on.
And you simply must stay at the cabin to-night. See, there is a lounge
here in the living room, and we have plenty of quilts and steamer rugs.
One of you can have the couch and the other can sleep on the floor by the
fire."

"May we, Miss Sallie?" Hugh queried.

"As you like, boys," declared Miss Stuart, now completely restored to
good humor.

"Then let's stay by all means!" urged Ralph. "What should we expect to
sleep on except the floor or the ground? This is the most effete camping
party I ever saw," he declared, looking around their cosy little cabin.
"You have all the comforts of home, here!"

"Do you think you and Ralph can stay for our coon hunt, Hugh?" asked Bab.

"Oh, for sure, Barbara," Hugh asserted. "I will fix things up with the
mater for a day; but we shall have to be off the next day without fail.
Now, I have an awful confession to make."

"What is it Hugh?" Ruth demanded.

"Ralph and I are starving!" he answered. "We were so bent on getting up
to your hut before it was too late, we didn't have time to get any
dinner. Could you, would you, just give us each a hunk of bread to stay
our appetites?"

"You poor souls!" cried Ruth. "Come on out in the kitchen with me,
Mollie. Let Bab and Grace do the entertaining. We'll fix you some eggs
and bacon in no time, the best you ever tasted. Our cook has gone to
bed."

"Let's have a feast for everybody," proposed Bab. "May we, Miss Sallie? I
am dreadfully hungry again. I haven't had anything to eat for at least
two hours and a half."

"Come, turn in then, everybody," Ruth called cheerily. "Here, Bab, you
undertake the Welsh rarebit and get out the pickles and crackers. Mollie,
get Hugh to help you open these cans of soup. Grace, you and Ralph, set
the table and talk to Aunt Sallie, while I fry my precious bacon."

"I never heard of such an extraordinary combination of things to eat. You
will ruin your digestions," was Miss Sallie's comment. But she ate just
as much as anyone else.

At midnight the girls were at last in bed. Hugh and Ralph, both wrapped
in blankets, were in blissful sleep before the camp fire. They had
scorned to accept the offer of the couch, wishing to enjoy camp life to
the fullest extent. So peace followed good cheer in the hut.

CHAPTER XI

THE COON HUNT

"Ere in the northern gale
The summer tre