“Well, a good-sized cow provides several hundred pounds of meat,” replied Mr. Ross.  “Oh, what a shame that you boys have no ice, and no way of getting it or keeping it!  I could fix you for a month’s supply of meat!”

“Dick, do you remember what we came out here in the woods for?” queried Tom.

“To camp, and have a good time,” Prescott laughed.  “And, so far, we win.  We’re having a bully time!”

“What else did we come out here for?”

“To harden and train ourselves so that we can make a hard try for the Gridley High School football eleven this fall.”

“Will a week of training table undo the harm of to-day’s big feasts?” groaned Reade.

“No fellow is obliged to make a glutton of himself,” retorted Dick.

“Maybe not,” quoth Tom, “but everyone of us will be sorely tempted.  You ought to see that pudding that Jim Hornby is putting up.”

“Young man, are you going to get that heart to cooking before it goes bad in the sun?” asked Mr. Ross sharply.

Tom meekly turned and started toward camp.

“What’s Greg doing?” Dick called after him.

“Holmesy is watching, learning the way Jim Hornby puts up a boiled pudding,” Reade called back.

Honk! honk! sounded an automobile horn from the rough trail of a roadway an eighth of a mile away.  The honking continued until Dick, realizing that it was a signal, gave a loud halloo.

“Is that Prescott’s camp?” called a voice.

“It’s the camp of Prescott and his friends,” Dick shouted back.

“Get ready for visitors, then!” called the voice again, and this time Dick recognized the voice as that of Dr. Bentley.

“We won’t eat you out of supplies, though,” called the doctor, now heading through the forest.  “We’re bringing with us our own cold lunch.”

“Cold lunch!” Dick chuckled back.  “You won’t be able to eat it after you see what we have!”

Through the trees now the fluttering of skirts could be seen.  High school girls were on their way to share the barbecue, though as yet they did not know of the treat in store for them.

CHAPTER IX

DICK’S WOODLAND DISCOVERY

“You couldn’t have come at a finer time!” cried Dick joyously, as he raced to meet the most welcome visitors.

“We’re barbecuing a whole cow.”

“Then I trust, Prescott, that you came honestly by the cow,” rejoined Dr. Bentley his eyes twinkling.

Besides Dr. and Mrs. Bentley, there were eight girls.  The visitors quickly explained that, besides the Bentley touring car, that of the Sharps was being used on this expedition, Susie Sharp being one of the girls of the party.  The Sharps did not employ a chauffeur, but their general man knew how to run the car, and he was now engaged in taking the cars to a spot well off the road.

“I’ll send one of the fellows to get him,” Dick promised, as he led the numerous though welcome guests to camp.