“Yep—the Mammoth,” said Ernest. “Well, come on, Sherm, let’s us have a try at it.”
“Let us go, too, Ern,” piped Chicken Little.
“No you don’t—you’d get all tired out and want to come back.”
Chicken Little opened her mouth to protest but Alice interposed.
“We will think up something nice to do here. We might hunt for it over on that wooded bank. Nobody seems to know where it was—it’s just as likely to be one place as another.”
“We might find some bitter-sweet berries. Mother said she wished we’d bring her some if we saw any.” Gertie was getting to her feet stiffly, her legs cramped from being doubled under her.
“Yes,” added Katy, “she wants some sumach leaves, too. You boys can just go off by yourselves. I bet we have the most fun.”
Carol had pillowed his curly head on a bag of nuts and was deaf to the other boy’s urging to “Come Along.” He was fast asleep before they were fairly out of sight.
Alice said they’d leave him as a guard for the nuts and wraps. She set off with the little girls in the opposite direction from that taken by the boys.
“Wouldn’t it be fun if we could find the cave?” exclaimed Chicken Little, who had been studying over the glorious possibility for several minutes.