“Remember,” Laura said, “you can always eat twice as much at a picnic as anywhere else. I don’t know why it is,” she concluded thoughtfully, “but even things you don’t like taste good. Be sure not to forget the salt!”
By the time Floribel appeared to get their breakfasts, they were nearly famished but nevertheless they ate hurriedly, so great was their longing to get off. Arthur shouldered the ice cream freezer. Between them, the girls carried the luncheon. The little children had to be led to the side of the house, so as not to witness their elaborate burden-laden departure. As it was acute little Betsy apparently guessed that something was going on which did not include her. As the Big Six disappeared down the trail they could hear Granny Flynn soothing her whimperings.
It was a beautiful day. The sun was not yet high enough in the heavens for it to be hot. Indeed dew still lay over everything. But there was a languor in the atmosphere which warned them that it would be hot enough later. The pond was indeed a Magic Mirror. It was like glass. Not a ripple roughed its surface and everything on the shore was so perfectly reflected that it looked painted on the water. The children wasted no time on the view. They pulled the four canoes out of the boat house and began loading them. Arthur paddled alone in one with the ice cream freezer and the lunch. Harold paddled alone in the second with the rugs and the hammock; the others went, two to a canoe. The little fleet kept close.
“Isn’t it a beautiful place?” Rosie asked joyously, trailing her hand in the water, “It’s like fairy land to-day. How I wish I could see some fairies or goblins or something strange!”
“I’d be content to see some white peacocks,” Dicky said soberly.
“Oh Dicky!” Maida exclaimed, “I’ve never taken you to see the white peacocks as I promised. I’ll do that just as soon as I can.”
“I’d rather see some deer.” Harold remarked.
“Well all I ask,” Laura was very emphatic, “is not to see two people—Silva and Tyma Burle.”
“I don’t think we’ll run into them,” Maida declared thoughtfully, “It’s a long time since any of us have seen them—over two weeks I should say. Perhaps they’ve gone away.”
“No,” Arthur called from his canoe, “I saw them in the village yesterday.”