"What are we to do with them when we've picked them?" asked Frances as they walked along.
"You won't get more than a bunch before lunch, I fancy," said Mrs. Merrill, "so you can hold them in your hand till we find where we will eat. Then, after lunch, you can dampen your napkin and wrap up the stems and put your posies in the bottom of your basket. That is," she added slyly, "unless you have a lot of food to take back home."
"Not much danger of that!" laughed Frances. "I could eat more than I have in there right this very minute!"
So, laughing and joking and picking the blossoms they found as they walked, the little party walked along the creek till they came to a bend where the creek widened a bit and where some big bowlders made an interest looking spot.
"This is the very place I was looking for!" exclaimed Mrs. Merrill. "I couldn't recall just how far down the creek it was! Suppose we make this our headquarters. Set your baskets on that biggest rock over there—that will keep your food high and dry. That flat rock will be our table and these two rocks here," pointing to two angle-shaped rocks that formed a big V, "will be just right for making a fire."
"A fire!" exclaimed Alice. "What do we want with a fire?"
"Oh, I thought it might be fun to make one," said Mrs. Merrill indifferently, "but of course if you don't care to—"
"But we do, Mrs. Merrill," interrupted Ruth, "I think it would be jolly."
"So do I," said Alice hastily, "only I was wishing we had thought of it before and had brought along something to cook."
"But we can have the fun of making it anyway," said Frances and she started off in search of kindling.