me up to the side of the _Chelton_ as nicely
as if they had set out from shore with that intention.

"Thanks," called Dainty, the fat one, "we would be pleased to,"
although no one had asked him to do anything.

"Delighted," affirmed Kent, the other of the party. "We sent our cards
by messenger."

The canoe bobbed up and down, until Cora took an extra rope from the
_Chelton_ and threw it to Dainty, who in turn tied it to a small hook
in the green _Snake_. This served to keep the canoe from capsizing as
Dainty and Kent crept into the _Chelton_.

Just what saved all three boats from being turned upside down in the
racket that followed only Neptune knows, for in their delight at
seeing real food the boys from the "Likes" grew so impetuous that the
"Couldn'ts" felt called upon to interfere.

Crabs, sandwiches, potatoes--each in turn were hailed with gales of
glee, until the girls fell back exhausted with the strain of providing
and cooking.

"Let me, let me," begged Dray, "I know exactly how to handle electric
appliances. I press my neckties--with an electric iron."

He was over into the _Chelton_, and piling more potatoes under the
little tin cover on the toaster, before anyone had time to answer.

"Turned or unturned?" he asked, surveying a smoking potato critically.

"Both or neither," answered the famished Dainty between gasps.

"I'll take my coffee now," announced Jack, sitting back in the
cushions, and flicking an imaginary speck from his sweater.

"Now, you must wait," Cora ordered. "We have not caught up to you yet.
We are only at the entree."

Lottie declared she never had such a splendid time in her life, and
the brightness of her cheeks catching the flame from her eyes bore out
this statement. Marita, too, seemed to have "shook her cocoon," Jack
said, his economy of language scarcely making up for the little
difference in "shook" and "shaken." Certainly she managed to climb
from one boat to another with remarkable alertness, while Bess, Belle
and Cora acted like up-to-date society maidens, only they acted a
little in advance of the "date" usually adhered to.

"And do we have to leave these shores?" wailed Ed, sipping a real good
cup of coffee. "Why not anchor here for now and for eternity!"

"I thought you liked camping," said Belle. "Surely you are not tired
of housekeeping. Doesn't it run smoothly?"

"Sure," replied Ed, "but the grub is the trouble. I wonder why mammas,
with good moral intenti