ion----"

This last word seemed to give every boy present a sort of agony, for
each began to "feel for his constitution," as if that important part
of his physique had been lost in the camp woods.

"I wish you could settle my constitution," remarked Tom. "Once I get
that settled, I don't care what happens."

"Now, quit your fooling," returned Walter. "I have an engagement and I
would like to get my housework done. Tom, help yourself to a towel,
and be careful not to wipe the plates on a glass towel. You can tell
the difference by the border. The dish towel is all border, the center
or hole went up on the oil stove, a little trick our stove has--it
does not like towels. The proper towel for the glasses is that one
with the black line drawn through the middle. The black line is not
important, it was put there with a single wipe of the spark plug from
the _Lassie_. Ed did it, very neatly."

Tom took the towel tossed to him, and, as only a boy can, began to dry
the dishes that Walter was piling in front of him. First he patted and
rubbed the towel on one side of the dish that lay before him; then he
turned the same dish over with a bang and repeated the patting and
rubbing on the other side. After that he gave the plate a spin. If it
landed right side up he left it so; if the trade-mark showed he
counted it a "foul," and tried the trick again. How boys can get work
done that way is always a mystery to girls, who find the same play
labor.

"Do I stay for lunch?" Tom asked. "I suppose when a fellow helps with
the general housework he is entitled to his 'keep.'"

"Oh, we would just love to have you," replied Jack, with mock
seriousness, "but the fact is, we are all invited out. We lunch on the
_Chelton_ to-day," and he strutted around with such wide sweeping
curves, and twists, that he knocked from the narrow board table every
last bit of butter the "Couldn'ts" had in their camp. Gingerly he
scooped up the top lump, that lay on the store dish, but the scraps
had to be scraped up with the egg turner, and the spot on the floor
(they had a board floor in the camp) had to be washed up with the dish
water, when Walter finally relinquished that important commodity.

"More careful next time," commanded Dray. "I'm off to call the
meeting. Where's that dinner bell?"

The "bell," a very old and very large tray, was found outside under
the bench, and with a good strong stick Dray beat it furiously, until
it might easily be hear