Madge turned to the girls. “Adele,” she said, “could you and Eva remain longer?”
Adele glanced at her little wrist-watch as she replied, “It’s nearly five now, and I ought to be home by six.”
“We’ll get you there,” Eric declared. “That is, if home isn’t more than a million miles away.”
“Not a million, quite,” Adele laughingly replied. “We live in Sunnyside. Three miles, I think they call it.”
“No distance at all,” replied the youth. “I’ll put you both on the back of my trusty brown steed and we’ll have you there by six surely. Now, Daddy Jock, show us the fish!”
“Lads, gather the wood and make a fire,” Jock said, “and I’ll have the fish cooked before any of ye have time to starve.”
Then what a merry scurrying there was! Eric and Everett soon had a crackling fire in the circle of stones where a fire was often made, and then, when it had burned down and there was nothing left but red-hot coals, the fish were cooked a delicious brown. Eric brought from the shack thick plates and steel knives and forks. These he handed to the girls with many flourishes.
Eric and Everett soon had a crackling fire.
“Sit ye down anywhere!” Jock called. “Ladies to be served first, and these speckled beauties are done to a turn.”