CHAPTER X
THE PICNIC
It was a perfect morning. Blue sky, with pure little snow-drop clouds,as if the angels had dropped them from their baskets as they tended theflowers in the heavenly gardens. The lake sparkled and glistened in thesunshine, and every wave seemed to leap joyously as it broke in softfoam on the shore. In one end of the _Flyaway_ sat Phil, on a pile ofshawls; in the other were stowed a large basket, a pail of ice, and apail of milk, and in between were Miss Rachel, Lisa, Joe, and Graham.Phil had twisted up a little nosegay for each, and had pinned a broadwreath of grape-leaves around Joe's straw hat, making the old fellowlaugh at his nonsense. They were just pushing off, when a suddenrattling of chain and some impatient barks from Nep showed that he beganto feel neglected.
"I thought we could get away unnoticed," said Miss Rachel, "but I findmyself mistaken."
The boys pleaded for Nep. "Ah, let him come, please let him come."
Nep's leaps becoming frantic, Miss Rachel yielded, and Graham soon hadhim loosened. He jumped at once into the boat, and crept under Phil'sfeet, making a nice warm mat.
"Poor Nep," said Phil, patting him, "he felt neglected"; and the bigtail wagged thankful thumps against the boat.
The morning air was sweet with all manner of herbage yet fresh from themorning dew. The trees were in their most brilliant green, and everyleaf seemed newly washed.
Graham began a boating song, and Miss Schuyler joined in the chorus. OldJoe chuckled and grinned; even quiet Lisa hummed a little as the songrose louder; and Phil, dipping his hands in the clear water, imaginedthat the fishes were frisking a waltz in their honor. They glided pastPoint of Rocks, past huge beds of water-lilies, past lovely little covesand inlets, and spots where Graham said there was excellent fishing;finally Eagle Island became more distinct, and its pine-trees began tolook imposing.
"Here we are!" said Graham at last, bringing the _Flyaway_ up nicely ona pebbly beach, in good boating style.
Graham and Joe made a chair with their hands and arms, and so carriedPhil very comfortably to the place under the trees which Miss Rachel hadchosen for their encampment.
"Now," said Miss Rachel, as she brought out Phil's portfolio, a book,her own embroidery, and Lisa's sewing, "I propose that Graham, being amore active member of society than we are, go off with Joe and catchsome fish for our dinner."
"Just the thing!" said Graham; "but I did not bring a line."
"Joe has everything necessary--bait and all," said Miss Schuyler.
"Now," said Miss Rachel, when the fishermen had gone, seeing Phil'slonging look, and knowing well how much he would have liked to go withthem, "we must go to work too, so that we may enjoy our play all themore afterwards. I could not let you go with Graham, my dear Phil; itwould have fatigued you too much; but I want you to try and draw me thatdrooping bush on the edge of the water, and while you draw I will readaloud for a while."
Miss Schuyler read, explained, talked to Phil about his drawing, andgave him the names of the trees about him.
The time flew fast, and it seemed a very little while when Miss Schuylersaid to Lisa, "I think I hear oars; we had better be getting our feastready."
They brought out the basket and pails, spread a nice red dessert clothdown on a smooth patch of grass, laid broad green leaves down for therolls and biscuits; golden balls of butter were in a silver dish oftheir own, and so were the berries in a willow basket, around which theyput a few late wild-flowers.
"Now we want a good flat stone for our fireplace, and--Ah! here comeour fishermen just in time."
Graham and Joe now appeared with a few perch, but plenty of catfish.They went to work with zeal, and soon had enough brush for the fire,which they built at a good distance. And while Graham fed it, Joeskinned his catfish, salted the perch, and laid them on the stone.
Then they all sat around their grassy table, and Joe served them in finestyle, bringing them their fish smoking hot on white napkins.
How merry they were over the good things, and how eager Graham was tocook fish for Joe, and serve the old fellow as nicely as he had done allof them! And Phil cut the very largest slice of cake for Joe.
"It is just the jolliest picnic I ever was at," said Graham, helping towash and clear away, and re-stow spoons and forks.
"Of course it is," said Phil. "There never can be another quite so nice:it is my first one, you know."
"Yes; just think of it, and it's my fiftieth, I suppose; but then youmust not think all picnics like this. It is something really remarkableto have everything go off so smoothly. Why, sometimes all the crockerygets smashed, or the fire won't burn, or if it does, you get the smokein your eyes, or your potatoes get burned, and your lemonade gets inyour milk, or somebody puts your ice in the sun, and, to crown it all,down comes a shower."
"Dear, dear, what a chapter of accidents, Graham!"
"Are you listening, Miss Rachel?" said Graham, with a quizzical look. "Iwas only letting Phil know how much better you manage than most people."
"Well, when you and Phil are ready, I want to tell you about somethingelse I should like to manage. Come, put away all the books and work, andlisten to my preaching."
Miss Rachel sat on a fallen tree, leaning against some young birches."Phil was asking me, yesterday," said she, "what becomes of all the poorsick children in the city, and he seemed to think he ought in some wayto help them; so I promised to think about what he had beenconsidering, and a little plan came into my head in which I thought youcould help us, Graham."
Graham looked up with a pleased face, and nodded.
"It is just this. In the city hospitals are many sick children who haveto stay in bed almost all the time. Now Phil and I want to do the littlethat we can for them, and it seems to me it would be nice to send freshflowers and fruit--all that we can spare from our gardens--once or twicea week to some of these sick city children. What do you think, boys?"
"It would be lovely, Miss Schuyler," said Phil, "only I do not see how_we_ could help; it would all come from you."
"Not all, dear child. I mean to give you both a share of the work--youin your way, and Graham in his. Are you interested? Shall I go on andtell you?"
"Yes, indeed," both exclaimed.
"I propose that we set aside a certain part of our flower-garden and ourfruit-trees, you and I, Graham (for I know you have a garden of yourown), which we will call our 'hospital fruits and flowers,' and Phil isto assist in making up boquets, hulling berries, and packing to sendaway; besides that, he is to make some little pictures, just little bitsof sketches of anything that he fancies--a spray of buds, a singlepansy, Joe's old hat and good-natured face beneath, a fish, or a bit ofvine-covered fence--and we will sell them for him, and the money shallhelp pay the express charges upon our gifts to the sick children, sothat Phil will really be doing more than any of us. How do you like myplan?"
The boys were pleased, and had begun to say so, when a shout came fromthe other part of the island from Joe, and Nep set up a violent barking.
"Hi! look up dar, Miss Schuyler!" called out Joe.
"Quick, Phil!" said Graham; "look! there's an eagle. How fortunate weare! There he goes, sailing away in all his glory"; and sure enough, thegreat bird floated farther and farther up in the blue sky.
Still Nep kept on barking, and Graham ran down to see what was thematter. He came back with something dangling from his hand, Joe and Nepfollowing.
"LOOK! THERE'S AN EAGLE"]
"A black snake--oh, what a dreadful creature!" exclaimed Lisa.
"Yes, indeed, ma'am," said Joe; "and if Nep hadn't barked so, thedrefful cretur would have bitten me sure. That dog knows a heap; you'dbetter allus take him with you in the woods, Miss Rachel. I was lyin'off sound asleep, with this critter close beside me, when Nep come up,and barked just as plain as speakin'. 'Take care,' says he, 'ole Joe,you're in danger,' an' with that I woke in a hurry, an' jist then I sawthat big eagle come soarin' overhead, and then Marsa Graham come andgive that snake his death-blow."
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"How did you do it, Graham?" asked Phil, excitedly.
"Oh, I pounded him on the head with a stone as he was making off. He isa pretty big fellow, and he must have swum from the main-land, MissSchuyler."
"Yes, I never saw a snake on this island before."
"Come here, Nep," said Phil, "dear old fellow; good dog for taking careof Joe. Your head shall be my first picture for our sick children."