CHAPTER IV

A SUDDEN AWAKENING

“There!  I knew we had forgotten something.”

“What have we forgotten, Jane?”

“An ice box, Miss Elting.  How are we to keep our food without an ice box?”

“But, my dear, what would be the good of an ice box without ice?”

“That’s so.  I hadn’t thought of that.  Where would we get our ice?”

“That ith eathy,” piped Tommy.  “Get your ithe out of the lake, of courthe.  I never did thee thuch thtupid people.  Did you thuppothe they got ithe on land?  That it grew in the fieldth?”

“No, darlin’.  We didn’t suppose anything of the sort.  But knowing so much, please tell us how we are to get ice from the lake in the good old summer time?  Answer me that question, will you now?”

“That ith tho,” reflected Tommy.  “Really, I hadn’t thought of it that way.  I gueth I wath too previouth.”

“Grace!” rebuked Miss Elting, “I am amazed at your using such expressions.  You really must be more careful of your language.”

“Yeth; I will.”

“Until the next time,” muttered Harriet, an amused smile hovering about the corners of her mouth.  Harriet was busily engaged in getting supper.  “Bring me a pail of water, please,” she called.  “We must put the water on to heat so that we can wash dishes directly after supper.  Dishes mustn’t go unwashed on board the ‘Red Rover,’ no matter whatever else may be neglected.”

Jane was setting the table.  The dishes that they had purchased were not expensive.  Rather were they strong and serviceable, but even at this, the table looked very pretty.  Miss Elting had gathered a bunch of wild flowers and these had been placed in a pitcher and stood in the centre of the table.  Of course the chairs were camp stools.  In this instance they were provided with backs, which made them quite comfortable.  Soon beefsteak was broiling over the fire, potatoes were frying in the pan and the tantalizing fragrance of coffee filled the air.

“Bring the drinking water, Tommy.  And look out that you don’t fall with it.  We can’t afford to buy dishes every day.  Will you be careful?”

“Yeth; I’ll be careful.”

“Hurry back.  Supper will be on the table by the time you get below again.”

Tommy, pitcher in hand, ran up the ladder to the deck above, Harriet and Miss Elting, in the meantime, putting the food on the table.

“Tom-m-m-y-y-y!” called Jane after some minutes had elapsed.  “The little girl has gone to sleep up there, I’ll wager.”

A scream, followed by a loud splash, startled the passengers on board the “Red Rover.”  They rushed for the door.

“Tommy’s fallen overboard!” yelled Harriet.

Beaching the lower deck they saw one little white hand holding aloft a pitcher, and lower down, scarcely discernible, a bit of tow hair and a freckled nose.