Part 23 (1/2)

It being such warm weather the girls made dressing enough to stuff only two of the chickens. They got on bravely with their share of the work and were ready to put the chickens in the oven in the big dripping-pan when Laura's and Bobby's cakes were done.

Meanwhile Reddy and Short and Long had been very busy with the ice-cream freezer. The boys had brought over a can of milk and a big block of ice from the landing and Mrs. Morse had made the ice-cream.

The boys froze it and packed it down in the shade.

Everybody began to get hungry early, for the odors from the cook-tent had been most delicious. As soon as the chickens and the baked potatoes were done, supper was served. Liz, in a clean dress and a clean ap.r.o.n served it.

Everything was fine except the chicken stuffing. There was something just a little queer about _that_; but what it was n.o.body seemed able to tell.

”I know I seasoned it with that same prepared seasoning of herbs that we use at home,” wailed Jess.

”You must have left something out,” said Nellie, despairingly.

Chet was tasting the dressing critically. ”No,” he said, without a smile. ”I don't think you could have done _that_.”

Jess brightened visibly. ”Then it doesn't taste so bad?” she said, hopefully.

”There's nothing you could have left _out_, Jess, that would make it taste like this. It's something you've put in----”

Liz suddenly presented herself at the table shaking a box in her hand.

”Was _this_ what you took for seasonin' for that stuffin'?” she demanded, solemnly.

”Why--yes,” admitted Jess. ”That's the very box I always buy it in at our grocer's.”

”Yep,” said Liz. ”It comes in that. But that's an old box I've had a long time, and there was lic'rish powder in it. I guess 'twon't hurt none o' yer; but I wouldn't eat much o' that stuffin'.”

”Goodness!” murmured Jess, as the laughter broke out. ”I _thought_ that stuff smelt kind of funny when I shook it out of the can.”

CHAPTER XV

THE BARNACLE HAS A NOSE

Aside from that single mistake the meal was declared to be a great success. The cake turned out a joy, and when it and the heaping dishes of ice-cream were brought on, the boys stood up and gave three cheers for the girls of Acorn Island Camp.

”But hold on!” exclaimed Chet, suddenly investigating his share of the ice-cream with a spoon. ”I have been given a premium with my supply.

Here! who has lost a perfectly good fly?”

”Alive?” demanded his chum, Lance.

”He can still crawl,” admitted Chet.

”That fly's a perfect idiot,” declared Lance, warmly. ”It's the same one that was in the hot gravy a little while ago. I hope he takes a chill. What does he think this is--a turkish bath?”

They lingered long at the table, until finally Liz (who had agreed to ”clean up”) drove them all out of the tent. They finished the ice-cream (which Reddy and Short and Long declared _had_ to be eaten up because there was not ice enough to keep it out in the open), with the light fading out of the western sky and the early fireflies flitting about the edge of the wood.

The Barnacle began to bark vociferously, all of a sudden. Lizzie, up at the lighted cook-tent, squealed.

Up rose the boys with a great whoop. ”Go for it!” yelled Lance. ”Sick 'im!” which seems to be the approved way to set a dog on anything living.