Breaking ranks, they followed the directions of their leader and made for the water, each boy eager to get at the contents of his knapsack, wherein loving hands had so carefully stowed such dainties as the son of the house was known to favor.
"Don't we have a fire, and some cooked grub, Paul?" demanded William, eagerly, as he hovered about the wagon, ready to pounce upon the kettles and pans that had been brought along to serve as cooking receptacles.
"Not here," replied the leader, smiling at the look of disappointment visible on William's face, which he could twist about in the most comical way ever seen outside of a clown's work in the circus. "To-night we'll make our first regular
camp, you know, and that will be time enough to break in."
"Oh! I'm wise now to the idea. You want the boys to get rid of a lot of the sweet stuff they've loaded in their grips. And I reckon you're just about right. The sooner they get down to plain grub, the better. Cakes and such are good enough at home, but give me the bacon, the flapjacks, the hominy, the fried fish and camp fare when I'm in the woods."
William talked big, but Paul happened to know that pretty much all his information with regard to what should be done during an outing of this sort had been gleaned from books, though he could cook quite well. His brother Wallace was just the opposite, and knew from actual experience what a camper should, and should not, do.
A rest of an hour was taken, during which time the scouts lightened their bulging knapsacks considerably. Indeed, Paul had high hopes that by the time another day had passed the supply of crullers and similar dainties would have vanished completely.
During the afternoon they did not try to hurry. There were several reasons for this. Already a number of the boys began to complain of sore feet, and were noticed limping, although Paul had tried to make sure that each fellow started out with the right kind of shoes for tramping.
It kept him busy giving advice, and showing the wounded fellows just how to alleviate their suffering. Andy Flinn finally took his shoes off, and trudged along in his bare feet. But then, Andy had known many a time in his past when he did not own a pair of shoes, and his soles were calloused to the point where small stones made no impression.