"But you must wait for me," John persisted. "I'll have to spread the things out on the grass. I keep thinking how good they'll taste eaten off the grass. There's where the ha'ntin' comes in."
"Did you ever hear anything so ridiculous?" said Elsie to the others. "But I suppose we had better humor him; he wont give us any rest till we do; he's so persistent. When he gets headed one way, he's like a pig." Elsie began to pull at the bridle to bring her horse alongside a stump. "Puss and I can get some flowers during the repast."
"I call this a most peculiar proceeding," said her protector, leaping from his horse, and hastening to help her to "'light."
Jacob Isaac gladly relinquished the lunch-basket, which had begun to make his arm ache, and soon John had the "ha'nting things" spread. Then he sat down Turk-like to eating; the others stood around, amused spectators, while chicken, beaten biscuits, strawberry tart, pound-cake disappeared as though they enjoyed being eaten.
"I believe I'm getting 'ha'nted,' too," said Luke Lord, whose mouth began to water,—the things seemed to taste so good to John.
"Good for you!" John said, cordially. "Come along! Help yourself to a chicken-wing."
"Why, Luke, you aint going to eating!" Elsie said.
"Yes, I am; John's made me hungry."
"Me, too," said Jacob Isaac.
"Of course, you're hungry," said John. "Come along! Hold your two hands."