“Looks as if we might have another good day,” continued Leslie, as he began to change from his pajamas to his “work clothes,” as he called the old suit he had been wise enough to wear on this outing.
“I certainly hope we shall have a bright day,” Dick observed, “because Mr. Rowland has a programme laid out that fills in the whole of it for everybody.”
“I can see that they mean the boys sha’n’t rust out while we’re up here on Bass Island,” chuckled Leslie. “They believe with the ant that every shining hour ought to be improved, because there’s always lots to do.”
“Oh! it isn’t that alone,” he was told, calmly. “As Mr. Holwell says, boys have just got to be doing something all the time or they’ll think up mischief; so it’s policy to chain that restlessness to good works. Most of us seem to like it first-rate in the bargain.”
“Haven’t heard the first whine so far,” admitted Leslie. “Those boys from the mill are certainly doing great stunts. They never had a chance before really to camp out decently, with plenty to eat along. And then there’s Nat and his cronies behaving like human beings for once, though I shouldn’t be surprised if they did manage to break out before we get home again.”
“Let’s hope not,” said Dick.
Several other boys now made their appearance. They were not in the habit of getting out of bed at such an early hour at home; but in camp the surroundings were so entirely different that they could not get to sleep again, once they opened their eyes at daybreak and heard whispering going on outside. Besides, they expected the bugle to sound at any minute now.
Then again with some of them it was a case of hunger, for those terrible appetites had taken complete possession of them, and hardly had they disposed of one meal than they began to talk of what they would like to have for the next one.
Eddie Grant and Ban Jansen, being the assistant cooks for the morning, were soon helping Sunny Jim. Peg hovered near them, having first of all hastened to where he had secreted his aluminum kettle which he brought back to the kitchen department with considerable satisfaction, if the grin on his face meant anything.
“Gave us the go-by last night, it seems, Dick,” he observed, as he flourished the shiny article in which their rice had been cooked on the preceding night.