interior. A tree-stump made quite a good landing-place, and everyone
managed to scramble out successfully without planting a foot in the
water. The first business was to explore, and to hunt up sufficient
wood for a camp fire. Luckily the weather had been dry, so that all
available sticks would be suitable for fuel. The girls dispersed in
various directions, on the understanding that they were to reassemble
when Miss Beasley blew her whistle as a signal.

"I call this a great stunt!" observed Morvyth, as the Mystic Seven
moved off in company.

"Even Gibbie's in spirits, bless her!" murmured Aveline fatuously.

"So she is. But all the same, I'd rather wander off alone than be tied
to her apron-strings; so come along, quick! Remember you're to earn
your living by picking up sticks, so don't slack!"

"Cheero, old sport! Don't get raggy!"

Pioneers were penetrating the virgin forest on all sides. From right
and left came squeals, giggles, or chuckles, as the girls investigated
the capacities of the island. Some kept to the banks and cut dry reeds
to make the bonfire burn quickly, while others were in quest of more
solid fuel.

"If we'd only had a hatchet or a saw," sighed Raymonde, "we might have
cut off some quite nice logs. There really isn't much to pick up on
the ground."

"Wish we could take that rotten tree along with us," murmured Morvyth,
pointing to a decayed old stump that stood upright with two withered
boughs like scraggy arms outstretched on either side of it.

"Too big a job, my child; but we might break off one of those
branches," opined Raymonde. "No, I know we can't reach it from below,
that's self-evident. Your humble servant's going to climb. Here, Ave,
you bluebottle, give me a leg up!"

"Oh! Suppose it topples over with you! Don't, Ray!"

"Bunkum! It won't! I'm not scared, thanks!"

[Illustration: "FAUVETTE IN PARTICULAR LOOKED RAVISHINGLY PRETTY"]

As a matter of fact, Raymonde knew perfectly well that she was going
to perform rather a risky feat. She did it because she was in a
don't-care frame of mind, also because she had quarrelled with Morvyth
earlier in the afternoon, and wished to astonish her. Morvyth was
standing now, elevating her eyebrows, and looking as if she did not
believe that Raymonde would really carry out her boast, which was all
the more reason for the latter to put speech into action.

Aveline obediently rendered the required assistance, and with a swing
and a clu