“Be sure to land carefully,” she told them. “We don’t want any upset cargoes.”
“Save the food at least!” laughed Florence. “I’m simply starved!”
Their lunches for that day had been packed by their mothers and savored more of a picnic than of camping out. There was chicken salad, and dainty nut and cheese sandwiches, ice-tea in thermos bottles, and home-made layer cake.
“And isn’t it great to be on land again!” commented Ruth. “Why, my legs are stiff already!”
“Is our afternoon trip long?” asked Doris, in a tone that might signify her willingness to remain where she was.
“Oh, hours and hours!” joked Miss Phillips.
“No--it really isn’t. We must stop early so that we will have lots of time to put up our tents and cook supper before dark, since this is our first experience. Not more than an hour and a half, and then watch for a cedar grove. See who can find it!”
“The _Will-o’-the-Wisp_ will discover it!” cried Marjorie. “Just watch us!”
So hungry had the girls been that there was almost no food to pack away; and soon they were on their way again, taking care, however, to exchange positions in the canoes. Ruth was glad of an easier pull, and though she would not admit that she was tired, when Marjorie announced that she thought she espied the grove they were looking for, it was a very welcome sound to Ruth’s ears.
In less than five minutes, the girls were paddling up to the shore, looking for a convenient place to land.
“You made your landings rather well,” remarked Miss Phillips, as the girls pulled their canoes up on the shore. “I think you won’t have much difficulty in passing that part of the Sailor test.”
“Now, Captain, where do we go from here?” asked Ethel.
Miss Phillips looked about her, and seeing a small clearing about twenty-five yards from the landing place, she said,
“Let’s go over there in that open place; that looks like a good camping ground.”
“Then we won’t have to chop any trees down?” remarked Ruth, lightly. “Well, that’s a relief.”
“It surely is,” laughed Alice; “my arms are stiff already.”
They commenced unloading the canoes, and when they had everything out they pulled them higher upon the bank and turned them upside down. Then, shouldering the luggage, they carried it to the clearing, making several trips.