“Here is just what we want,” replied the major, and took from a hook two big waiters’ aprons. “We can bundle up a lot of stuff in these.”
“And here are two fresh tins of crackers, ten pounds in each tin. We must take these by all means—and that fresh chunk of cheese!”
“You take what you can carry to the trunk room,” answered Jack. “I’ll hunt up something a little more appetizing.”
While Pepper was on his errand the young major made a careful survey of the pantry, and into a wooden box he found there placed a freshly-boiled ham, some cold roast beef, several loaves of bread, some butter, three bottles of pickles, some cans of sardines and some bottles of milk. Then, from a barrel, he filled a wash basin with apples.
“This will do for the present, I’m thinking,” he said, as he surveyed the stuff. “Now for a candle and some matches,” and he procured them.
He carried the wooden box on his shoulder and Pepper came down and got the apples, and also two loaf cakes which had been baked the day before, and some knives, forks and several glasses and tin plates.
“You’d think we were getting ready for the annual encampment,” said The Imp, while he and Jack were on the way upstairs with the last of the things.
“Listen!” exclaimed the young major, suddenly. “Somebody is coming!”
“It’s the cook!” gasped Pepper, as he caught sight of a well-known figure coming along the upper hallway. “Jack, what shall we do?”
“I—I don’t know! We’ll have to run past her, I guess.”