"Hang the sticks!" he exclaimed; "the people in the books always did it so easily, why can't I?"
Luckily for the success of the gipsy party, one of the band just then happened to spy a match, which some chance wanderer had dropped, and a few dry sticks having been hastily collected, a fine fire was soon crackling and snapping merrily.
Delighted with their success, they next held a grand consultation, on the noble science of cooking.
"The gipsies hang a kettle on forked sticks," said Richard; "and fish, flesh, and fowl are all put in together, making, what I should call, stewed hodge-podge."
"Well, there are ninety-nine reasons why we won't use the kettle," said Arthur, who considered himself the wit of the party,--"and the first is, we have no kettle, so I won't trouble you with the rest. Good gracious!" he continued, "I'm so hungry, I could eat what I perfectly hate, and that's a boiled calf's head."
"And I forty sour apples," cried Harry. "I wish one of these trees could be turned into hot ginger-bread, wouldn't we _pitch in?_"
As there was no kettle to be had, they endeavored to fry the fish by sticking them on the top of forked sticks. But, somehow, the fish would not stay "stuck." They fell off into the blaze, and smoked, and "sizzled," and smelt like any thing but delicious food; and there was great scorching of fingers, and singeing of hair, as the new cooks tried to twitch them out. At last, covered with ashes, and, of course, without plates or any other civilized comfort, the banquet was "served" in the young gentlemen's fingers, and tea began, Richard declaring he was "hungry enough to eat a rhinoceros."
The first mouthful tasted "first rate," but, presently Arthur sang out, "Hollo! I'm choking! my mouth's full of scales, and there is something inside of this fish, that I never saw at home."
"Oh, goodness! I never thought of cleaning them; how stupid!" said Charlie; "Never mind, boys! we'll know better next time."
"But I want some salt, and some bread and butter," said little George; "Robinson Crusoe had them."
"Where's my ship, to get all these things," said Charlie; "we're not on an island."
"But I thought you said you had every thing fixed."
"So I did--in my head; but you see--" answered Charlie, hesitating and scratching his head, and looking very much bothered--"you see--"
