“Dick, this is just fine,” spoke Bob.
Mrs. Hazelton came out with a package of home-made cheese to add to the lunch, and the boys greeted her with a cheer and started briskly on their way.
Their guide led them to a fence, over it, and through a dry watercourse.
“Here we are, fellows,” he announced, pointing to a scattered grove of trees on the rise opposite.
“Hurrah!” shouted Sammy. “I feel like a squirrel.”
The crowd placed their lunches under a shady tree and started over for the hickory grove. Soon each one, except Tom, was scrambling up a tree.
“There’s a rather low one over yonder,” said Tom to Bob. “I guess I’ll tackle it.”
“What with?” asked Bob.
Tom drew a stout slung-shot from his pocket. Then he rambled along the watercourse, and filled an old fruit basket he had found with good-sized pebbles.