hem laughingly.
"Think of the thing you want most in the world," she said. "That's it!"

"There are lots of things I want," Frank began, but Roy interrupted him.

"There is only one thing in the world that is better than anything
else," he said.

"And that?" the others queried breathlessly.

"Plum pudding!" He pronounced the two words with the reverence due them.

Grace stared at him in amazement. "How did you know?" she stammered.
"It's almost uncanny."

"Not at all," said Roy, with a superior air. "It's perfectly simple--I
smelled it."

"Oh, so that was the blithe and savory odor that assailed our nostrils a
short time ago," said Frank. "But my hopes never soared to the heights
of plum pudding."

"And here is the hard sauce," said Mollie, passing it around from one to
the other as though it had been a precious jewel. "Amy made it--all of
powdered sugar--with perhaps a little egg and butter thrown in--and I
know it is delicious."

"You had better put that out of sight till we get through eating other
things, Mollie," Betty cautioned. "The boys will be starting at the
wrong end of the meal."

"Yes, and spoil their appetites," Amy added, while Mollie removed the
temptation.

However, from the way the good things disappeared, there seemed no
reason for Amy's fears--appetites like those were proof even against
plum pudding.

At last the picnickers stretched themselves, replete and happy, upon the
soft grass, to discuss a further course of action.

"What shall we do next?" asked Betty, after a somewhat lengthy pause.
"Are we going to take a walk or swim some more or just stay here?"

"You've got the right idea," Roy commended.

"Which?" she asked, with uplifted eyebrows. "I suggested three things."

"The last of course," he answered, plucking a piece of long grass and
beginning to chew the end of it. "I don't know what you put in that plum
pudding, but it has made me everlastingly sleepy. I'd like to take a
nice long nap;" and a prodigious yawn gave truth to his words.

"How interesting," Grace mocked. "Mrs. Irving warned Mollie that it
might have such an effect--in fact, she said it was too hearty for hot
weather. Behold we have the proof of her words."

"For goodness' sake, Roy, brace up!" cried Will, in a stage whisper.
"Can't you see what you are doing? If you keep this up they won't give
us any more. Brace up!"

Seeing the wisdom of this, Roy did his best to "brace up," but the girls
only laugh