We were all very glad to stretch our legs after the long ride, and having had some lemonade and fruit at a little shop in the High Street, we quite enjoyed the walk up to the wood.
Here under the trees in a beautiful spot we sat down to wait for the men with the hampers.
After waiting for some time with growing impatience, our coachman turned up with a rueful face.
"There ain't no hamper, sir," he said.
"What?" I exclaimed. "No hamper! What do you mean?"
"There ain't no hamper in the trap, sir. I didn't have it up in front, so I thought you had it in with you. Do you think it's fallen out, sir?"
"By Jove, sir!" cried Lionel suddenly, "it's my fault. You told me to see that the man put the hampers on in front, and I clean forgot all about it."
If it hadn't been such a serious matter it would have been highly amusing to watch the blank dismay depicted on every face on hearing this disastrous news.
"What on earth are we to do?" exclaimed Dick, with almost tragic concern.
"There's only one thing to be done, I suppose," said I resignedly, after sending the man away; "we shall have to return to the village and have our luncheon at the inn."