but the farmer's wife laughed. She seemed very serious over the conversation, and nodded her head affirmatively.
"Well, we have to drive on, madam, but we're sorry to have frightened Samson," said Mrs. Vernon, in order to make an end to the scene.
"Say, couldn't you tell us where there is a nice picnic place near here?" called Jim, as the first car started.
"Yeh – a few miles furder on. You'll find a nice little brook in a grove of sugar-maples, with green grass on all sides."
Jim thanked the woman, and started his car. Mrs. Vernon was informed of the grove which was to be a stopping place for dinner, and all were eagerly on the lookout for the spot that would offer such an ideal resting place.
But it was the longest "few miles" any of the scouts had traveled, for the meter showed many, many miles before any grove was seen. There was no brook in it, but the grass was very green, and the maple grove, which crowded a knoll a short distance from the road, looked cool and inviting.
As usual, Julie was the first one out of the cars and over the fence. She started to cross the very green grass, but instantly sank into the water that was hidden under the green blades.
"Help! Oh, I'm drowning!" shouted she, struggling to pull her feet clear of the bog. But she would free one foot, and instantly the other would sink. Then she tried to drag that one out, but the first one would go down again. Both together she could not get out.
"Oh, oh! See the mess poor Julie's in!" called one of the girls.
Mrs. Vernon was gazing quickly around for some sort of help to get the scout out, but the girls stood about the place sympathizing with the furious scout.
"Is it like that all over there, Julie?" called Betty, anxiously.
"How do I know? Come over and find out for yourself!" snapped her sister.
The girls laughed at the retort, but Betty added: "I only wanted to know if it was safe for me to come over and help you out."
Julie straightened up and glared at her soft-hearted sister. "You sound just like our Sunday school teacher when she reads: 'Come over into Macedonia and help.'"
Again the audience of girls laughed appreciatively, but Julie was too busy keeping her feet "treading water" to pay any attention to their enjoyment. Meantime, Jim had removed some rails from the fence and was bringing them to the scout's aid.
"Now, Miss Julie, when I shove these over, you manage to work an arm over each one, and sort of lift yourself out that way. I'll shove others over for you to step on next, and in that way you can get out and across to us," advised Jim, working as he spoke.
Finally Julie was rescued from the mire, and then the Captain said: "Every one walk along that elevated bank, over there, to reach the grove, as this entire area may be a boggy spring."
But the grass under the trees in the grove was found to be hard and dry, and they soon began to prepare luncheon. While Mrs. Vernon unpacked the hamper, the scouts were detailed on various duties: some to build a fire, some to hunt spring water, some to set table on the grass. But Julie was excused from all these tasks, as she had more than enough work to do in cleaning the mud from her boots and stockings.
When luncheon was almost ready, Judith and Amy, who had been sent to find the spring and bring back drinking water, reported: "We couldn't find any spring."
Julie looked up and jeered: "You are fine scouts! Couldn't find a spring when all you have to do is to find the source of all that water where I went down!"
"Water! That looked like mud," retorted Judith.
"We'll go for the water," volunteered Joan, catching hold of Betty's sleeve to take her along.
So they started, and as Julie had said, the spring that fed the boggy spot was not far back in the grove. The water gurgled down from a cleft in a huge rock, and on either side of the small pool wood violets dipped their fragrant petals into the sparkling mirror.
Betty sat down upon a flat rock beside the pool to enjoy the scene. But practical Joan filled the pail with cold water and then laughed at poetical Betty.
"Would you prefer to sit here and dream, Betty – or go back with me and eat ham sandwiches?"
"Oh, I forgot where I was," laughed Betty, rising reluctantly to help carry the pail of water.
"That's what I thought," tittered Joan, "but the rest of the girls prefer something more solid than dreams."
During the luncheon the Captain said: "Wouldn't it be splendid if each one of us kept a diary of what happens during this summer's camp? Then we can rewrite the facts when we go home and make a good story of it. Perhaps a real publisher will buy it from us and thus give us a fund for next year's outing – if we have one."
"Oh, that is great!" exclaimed several voices with girlish enthusiasm.
"Well then, when we camp to-night, we'll jot down the episodes of the day's trip – not forgetting to dwell at length on 'Samson,' and Julie's side-plays," remarked the Captain, smilingly.
"Has any one thought of a stopping place for the night?" asked Jim.
"Not definitely, Jim; but I hope to cross the river at Poughkeepsie and drive along the west shore as far as possible. Then we can pitch camp at any good place we find," replied the Captain.
They had not gone much farther before Ruth called: "It looks as if the rear tire on Verny's car was flat!"
The Captain slowed up, and every one tried to see the tire. "That's what it is, all right, Captain!" ejaculated Jim, impatiently.
"Dear me! That means another delay!" sighed several girls.
The car had to be jacked up and Jim went to work to mend the puncture in the tube, then pumped and pumped until the tire was properly inflated once more.
As the tourists climbed into their respective seats in the automobiles, Joan said: "Well, Captain, this wasn't such a bad day after all – in spite of being a Friday."
"I'm thankful for it, too," sighed Betty, fervently.
The cars made good time after that and passed over the ferry at Poughkeepsie, to travel northward on the road that ran along the west shore. They pitched camp in some woods and soon had a fire started to heat the canned soup they had brought. When all else was ready, the Captain banged upon a tin pan to call the scouts to dine.
"Um! That tomato soup smells good!" exclaimed Joan, sniffing audibly, as she saw the contents of the pan that stood over the fire.
"Will you serve it, Jo – you are nearest the pan?" said Mrs. Vernon, passing the basket that held the tin cups.
"Here! Everybody hold up a mug to fill, while I come around with the pan!" ordered Joan, taking hold of the pan-handle that had been over the fire a long time.
"Oo-oouch!" cried the girl, whipping her hand up and down as she danced wildly about.
"You didn't spill the soup, I hope!" exclaimed Anne, with deep concern.
"What difference would that make – a little cheap soup? But my hand – oh, it's got a trail blazed clean across the palm!" wailed Joan, showing her red-skinned hand to sympathizing friends.
"Poor
