Evening star., 1903-07-25

marked. He had cut up the bread and
spread few pieces with butter. and they
fell upon the first course OF the luncheon
with a viii. To tell the truth. those pota-
toes might have been a little browner and
little less greasy. but they were out OF
doors and they had done the cooking them
selves. Besides that. IL had taken the fire
so very long to get under way that II was
long past one o'clock. and they were all be-
ginning to feel very hungry indeed
How they did enjoy those fried potatoes!
Carroll ate his with one hand while he
turned the frog legs with the other. 1t
only took a short time to cook these and
when they were nicely Drowned, Carroll
sprinkled a little salt over them and dished
them up piping hot. or course. they were
very small, but he really had cooked them
very well, and If you picked them up in
| your fingers and ate whole leg at ono
bite without mnding If you did chew up a
few little bones, why. they were very good
and tasted almost like chicken.
Billy had the coffee all ready to set on
the hre as soon as the frying-pan was
taken off. and in a few minutes the water
was bubbling away furiOusy and a tiny
| thread of steam was coming out Of the
spout.
Don't you think it's ready now Billy"
| asked Peggy. Il never tasted coffee. and
can hardly wait"
'It'l be done in few minutes. I guess"
replied Billy stirring the contents OF the ket-
/ tie with a stick, and looking very important
He had undertaken to make the coffee but
he was not exactly sure how one knew when
| IT was cooked sufficiently. And he certainly
! was not going to ask Aunt Elizabeth. So
he stirred II around for a little " hile and
| looked wise. The mixture did not look very
inviting, he thought. for all the grounds
were noatfng on top. but then he WAS not
! a coffee drinker. he told himself and really
had not noticed how II looked when his
mother poured II out a the breakfast table.
Very likely that was the way 1t ought to
| look. He would hope for the best at any
rate. He lifted the pot carefully and pour
| Ell a little out into tin cup. 4 delicious
odor arose, and the others crowded around.
smiling.
"Oh! doesn't it smell good?" exclaimed
Peggy. Here. Aunt Elizabeth here's a cup
! for you
Il am not sure that coffee is the best
thing in the world for you children to be-
drinking" remarked Mrs. Mason as she
took the cup and smiled at the scum or
grounds on the top
"oh. 1t won't hurt us. mother. this once"
answered Carroll. reassuringly, as he pass
| ed her the sugar.
Anyway. we're Indians: coffee won't
hurt them" said Bob, holding out his cup
| to be filled.
"Oh!-ow!" cried Peggy suddenly. put
| ting her cup of coffee down on the ground
What's the matter Peg?" asked Carroll
with twinkle In his eye and a keen sus-
picion as to what really was the matter
Don't you like it ?''
1T burnt my tongue" walled Peggy,
| with Wry face, putting her handkerchief
to her mouth.
you must be more careful. Peggy" said
Billy, reprovingly. "Of course II burnt:
it's boiling hot. and you oughtn-t to have
taken so much at once In his wisdom
Billy took a good big drink of his own
| coffee He forgot that his tongue was just
as liable to be burnt Peggy's and the
tears filled his eyes he bravely swallow
| ed the burning mouthful. Not for worlds
would he have shown that II hurt But
| he was more careful about the next sin
|
/ ward.
Mrs. Mason would not allow them to have
two cups, even though 1t was pretty weak.
| She did not tell Billy So but she found a
chance when they were all occupied in
| toasting pieces Of bread at the fire to empty
her coffee out behind the wigwam Per-
| maps 1t was great success. the children
seemed TO think. but she did not care for
that kind of success. AS she emptied the
cup she noticed the ground hackees In their
cage.
What did you bring them here for?" she
| asked.
Bob explained that they were captlves
| taken in war and held for ransom.
| And look. Aunt Elizabeth" cried Peggy,
| mere scalp-a real scalp, that Billy
ca ptured-'
| She had old Dawes wig in her hands when
| Carroll looked up from his toast and
| scoWled so hercely at her that her voice
| died away. She tried to look az If she had
not said anything, and hung the wig hastily
back But Mrs. Mason had heard and seen:
| and, unaware that there was any secret
came over to examine the scalp that Billy
| had captured.
why. what is this?' she asked, In
| anna cement
| Peggy, you haven't got any sense" NUT
| tered Carroll. angrily. Now you've got
| US into Scrape"
| Peggy looked frightened She picked I'D
| stick and began to toast a piece of bread
to hide her confusion. No one answered,
and after examining the wig for a moment
| Mrs. Mason turned to them.
| Where did you children get this? Why
| it is somebody wig
There was no answer. Mrs Mason looked
from one face to the other. They all look
a trife guilty. Evidently there was some
| thing wrong. Poor Peggy was most un-
com mfortable. She regretted her rash speech
most heartily. Billy was casting looks or
scorn at her and Carroll was growing like
| a bear under his breath. Bob came to the
rescue and cleared the atmosphere with an
irresistible little laugh the funny side OF
the situation struck him.
| "Oh, mother" he said 'it was lots Of
| fun; you ought to have been there" And
| then at the idea of Aunt Elizabeth taking
part in any such wild escapade as the at
tack upon Dave Rivers, Peggy, the un-
quenchable. broke into laugh which final
| ly affected Carroll and Billy. All four OF
them rolled on the ground in spasms OF
merriment while Mrs. Mason stood there
| looking very much mystified. and holding
old Dawes wig in her hands.
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