“Hurrah!” shouted the Twins, who had been looking very gloomy.
“I can fry bacon,” said Dick humbly, “if I am a duffer about tides.”
“All right. Let’s build a fire in this safe place, away from the trees and grass.”
They scattered about for fire-wood, and presently they had a fine blaze under the shelter of a big rock. “It is a beautiful place for a picnic, Dick,” said Tante comfortingly. “I am sure the Indians would have liked it themselves for a camp.”
“You’re right,” said Dick. “Your coast Indians did have some advantage over our plain Indians, I’ll agree.”
“I’d like to stay here and live!” cried Norma, clasping her hands in the dramatic way she had.
“Oh, Norma! With only the clams to listen to your music?” said Beverly.
“Well, somebody else has thought as Norma does before now,” chuckled Dick. “I haven’t shown all the wonders of my discovery yet. Look, there’s sweet grass over in the bog behind the bank there. And great tall sedges for baskets. Then look at this bank itself! See, it’s made out of clam-shells. I think the Indians must have piled them here, long ago.”
“It’s an old Indian shell-heap, by Jove!” exclaimed Hugh. “Reddy, you’ve made a discovery after all. They must have been picnicking here for generations before we were born, by the size of this heap.”
“I thought it was a pretty good place for a clam-bake,” said Dick modestly. “Even if you don’t get your clams.”