"Verny, we really must have a dessert for those who do not like preserves, you know. Otherwise father will eat the whole jar of our strawberry preserves," added Julie.

So the two girls prevailed over the Captain's mild scruples and hurried down the road to the strawberry field. Before the Lee family arrived, everything was done and ready for their reception.

Eliza, as antic.i.p.ated, had smuggled a host of good things into the surrey, and when Mr. Lee and May were listening to all that the scouts had accomplished during the week, she transferred the larder hidden in the harness box of the surrey to the camp-larder in the old hut.

As they sat down to dinner, John began showing symptoms of disapproval of his soup (chowder, the scouts called it), and carefully placed his dish upon the rock before him.

"The chowder smells delicious, girls," said May, as the aroma rose to her nose.

"It's just as good as it smells, too," said Julie.

"Is every one served now, Jule?" called Joan, who was waitress for the day.

"Yes, and all anxious to begin--hurry and sit down," Julie replied.

Joan took her plate and sat down nearest the board from which she had to serve the dinner. John waited smiling knowingly as he sat and watched the others.

Mr. Lee was the first to take a spoonful of chowder. He frowned for a moment, then took a second taste. His mouth puckered and he looked questioningly at Eliza as if to ask her what was wrong with it.

May had already taken her spoonful and immediately cried: "For goodness sake! Who cooked this chowder?"

"Verny--why?" hastily asked the girls.

"Why? Well just taste it!"

Every one had had a good mouthful by this time and every one looked at the Captain reproachfully.

"Really! I'm sure I didn't salt this chowder as heavily as this! I tasted it just before you arrived and it was delicious," exclaimed Mrs.

Vernon in self-justification.

Joan now looked dreadfully concerned. She tasted the soup and then made a wry face. But she was not going to have any one falsely accused, so she spoke up:

"Verny, you know when you told me to salt something-or-other, I thought you meant chowder; so I put in as much as I felt it needed. Maybe I misunderstood you."

"Oh, Joan! I called to you and said _not_ to salt the chowder because I saw you seasoning everything you could find!"

Joan looked so woe-begone that every one laughed, and Betty said regretfully: "It's too bad, Joan, 'cause the chowder was cheap so it was to be the filler, you know. Now we won't have enough dinner without eating our preserves."

That made every one scream with merriment, and the salty soup was pa.s.sed by without further reproach. While waiting for the steaks (?) John cleared his throat as a signal, and said:

"You won't see _me_ here again this summer."

"Why not?" queried his sisters.

"'Cause I'm going to camp on Wednesday--Daddy fixed it with the Master at our gym."

"Going to wash dishes?" teased Julie, winking at Eliza.

"Nope! But I'm going to keep the grounds clean. I have to pick up papers and see that nothing is littered around. Every time I leave trash about, I get fined, so I'll have to be awake."

"What splendid practice that will be for you, Johnny. When you come back home, you ought to have the habit so strong that Eliza won't have to run after you at every step," declared Julie.

"I know John will make a fine scout for that work," added Betty.

Being a regular boy, John wouldn't thank Betty for her kind words but he mentally decided that she was a bear!

The beefsteak mushrooms were a great success and no one could tell what they were eating. Boiled potatoes, artichokes, dandelion salad with Eliza's French dressing, and a gravy of browned flour, made a fine dinner to go with the steak. Then followed the berries and generous slices of fresh layer cake brought from home. When dinner was over, John frowned and said: "Is this all we get?"

"All! my goodness, isn't it enough?" demanded Julie.

"Not for Sunday's dinner. I bet we'll have a regular feast at _our_ camp, all right!"

"You couldn't have such cake if you baked for ages!" retorted Julie.

"Cake--pooh! Fellers don't want cake. We want man's dinners," bragged the boy.

"I noticed you ate every crumb, just the same!"

"That's 'cause I am hungry and had to."

"Seein' es how yuh despise my cake, I'll see you don't have to eat none of it whiles you are at camp," said Eliza, at this point of the altercation between brother and sister.

John gasped, for he had already boasted to his boy-chums who were going to camp with him that _he_ could have cakes and lots of goodies sent to him every week!

That afternoon the visitors were escorted about the woods; every beautiful nook and dell was duly admired, and when it came time for good-bys both sides felt that they had had a fine visit.

"We'll look forward to coming again _when_ it is our turn," observed Mr.

Lee, as he climbed into the surrey.

"We'll be looking as anxiously for you as you will for us," Betty replied.

May grinned, for she understood why they would be welcomed. But Ruth said hurriedly: "S-sh! My mother's coming next and she won't let your family outdo her in bringing goodies. May, do tell her all you brought to-day."

Every one laughed at that frank confidence, and the Lees drove away feeling happy and proud of the way their girls were improving under the scout life.

As they trudged back up the hill, Joan said: "Is any one expected for the Fourth?"

"Not that I know of--I forgot the Fourth comes this week," Mrs. Vernon replied.

"What can we do, Verny? We haven't any fire-works," said Betty.

"We'll have to think out a suitable plan with which to celebrate the National Birthday."

That evening about the camp-fire, it was discussed and finally voted upon to go for a long outing on the Fourth.

"But where? We don't want to go down into civilization, you know," said Ruth.

"Can't we pack up a dinner and go away off somewhere?" suggested Joan.