"U-mm! Verny, you never tasted anything so delicious!" called Julie to the Captain who was seeking a safe spot to cross to the berry-patch.
After a silent time during which every one seemed hard at work, Mrs. Vernon stood up and called out: "How many quarts have you ready for supper, girls?"
Julie also stood up and laughed: "I am not sure how many quarts I can hold, but there is still room for some more."
"We haven't any other holder to put the fruit in--that's why I am eating mine," said Ruth, in self-defense.
"You'll not be able to say that in another few minutes. Now begin to pick and save the berries until I come again," said the Captain, going over to a clump of white birches.
"I know what: she's going to strip some bark and make cornucopias for us to use," explained Joan, as she saw Mrs. Vernon tear strips from the trees.
And that is just what she did. Each girl was given a deep cornucopia and soon the holders were full of berries. As each one had eaten plentifully of the fruit, as well, they were ready to start up the road again.
"Girls, we can gather berries to eat every day and still have plenty to can," said the Captain, as they neared the camp.
"To can! how could we can any out here in the woods?"
"I'll show you. To-morrow when the man comes from Freedom for our Tuesday order, I will tell him to bring us a box of fruit jars. Then we will experiment on the berries. Wild fruit always is much sweeter than the cultivated kind."
"I've been wondering what we can give our visitors for a dinner, should we try to cook for them without asking for supplies from home?" ventured Betty, who had been rather silent during the walk to camp.
"I believe we can find enough good things right in the woods to give them, without falling back upon any store-food at all," replied Mrs. Vernon.
The girls looked amazed, and Ruth said laughingly: "Then they'll have to eat grass!"
"You wait and see! When I explain my menu you will be gratified, I think," said the Captain.
It was found that Eliza had left enough soup in a pan so that, with heating, it was sufficient for supper. That, with the cake and berries, quite satisfied the girls. Then seated about the embers of the night-fire, they planned for work on the morrow.