“We did think at first of having an old stove top that Roger saw thrown away at Grandfather’s,” Ethel Brown explained.  “We could build two brick sides to hold it up and have the stone for a back and leave the front open and run a piece of stove pipe up through that crack in the rocks.”

Mrs. Morton and Mrs. Smith, who were sitting on a convenient bit of rock just outside the cave, peered in as the description progressed.

“Then we could burn wood underneath and regulate the draft by making a sort of blower with some piece of old sheet iron.”

The mothers made no comment as Ethel Brown seemed not to have finished her account.

“Then we thought that perhaps you’d let us have that old oil stove up in the attic.  We could set it on this flat rock on this side of the cave.”

“We thought there might be some danger about that because it isn’t very, very large in here, so we finally decided on this alcohol stove.  It’s safe and it doesn’t take up any room and this solid alcohol doesn’t slop around and set your dress afire or your table cloth, and we can really cook a good many things on it and the rest we can cook in our own little kitchen and bring over here.  If we cover them well they’ll still be warm when they get here.”

“That’s a wise decision,” assented Mrs. Morton, nodding toward her sister-in-law.  “I should be afraid that the stove top arrangement might be like the oil stove—­the fuel might fall about and set fire to your frocks.”

“And it would take up much more space in the cave,” suggested Mrs. Smith.  “Here’s a contribution to your equipment,” and she brought out a box of paper plates and cups, and another of paper napkins.

“These are fine!” cried Ethel Blue.  “They’ll save washing.”

“Here’s our idea for furnishing.  Do you want to hear it?” asked Dorothy.

“Of course we do.”

“Do you see that flat oblong space there at the back?  We’re going to fit a box in there.  We’ll turn it on its side, put hinges and a padlock on the cover to make it into a door, and fix up shelves.”

“I see,” nodded her mother and aunt.  “That will be your store cupboard.”

“And our sideboard and our linen closet, all in one.  We’re going to make it when we go home this afternoon because we know now what the measurements are and we’ve got just the right box down in the cellar.”

“Where do you get the water?”

“Roger is cleaning out the spring now and making the basin under it a little larger, so we shall always have fresh spring water.”

“That’s good.  I was going to warn you always to boil any water from the brook.”

“We’ll remember.”