Part 19 (1/2)
The girls had brought a tablecloth with theround, and the entire lunch was placed in this and then wrapped in a newspaper and placed on a flat rock
”I wonder if the squirrels will bother the lunch?” questioned Fred They had noted several of the frisky little ani
”The squirrels want nuts I don't think they care for mustard sandwiches and onion cake,” cried Andy ”Gee! but it feels good to be out here,” he went on, and, leaping up, he grasped the lienerally known as ”skinning the cat”
”Oh, Andy, do be careful!” called out his cousin Mary ”First thing you know you'll twist your ar before I wake up,” answered the fun-loving Rover cheerfully
”I'll get hi up a handful of dead leaves, he threw theo of the tree, and landed on his brother's shoulders, and both went down to the ground, there to roll over and over, kicking the dead leaves in all directions
”Hi, you!” cried Jack sternly ”What sort of a ladies' exhibition is this! Get up there before I yank you up!”
”You'll have those beautiful suits ruined,” came froan in earnest, and this led thereat number of sharp rocks and a considerable distance away fros to eat had been left
”Here is one,” called Ruth presently, and pointed it out
The girls had brought troith the up the fern and placing it in the corner of one of the boxes
Several other plants were located nearby, and all the boys and girls were soon busy Soood size, and all showed up hen grouped together
”We have a little fernery at home,” explained Ruth ”Last winter the plants did not do so well, and these will therefore come in very nicely
I'm sure my folks will be pleased to see the with you, Ruth,” said Jack
”Oh, yes And he is very thankful for all you Rovers did for his which have been related in detail in ”The Rover Boys on Snowshoe Island”
”Here is a different kind of fern,” announced Martha, a et it for you!” cried Gif, pressing forward to assist her
”It's right down there between those big rocks, Gif Be careful that you don't push one of the stones over on your fingers”
”Don't ruin the whole island getting up one fern, Gif!” exclaimed Andy, as the athletic student pushed away a couple of rocks which prevented his getting at the fern
There was another rock in the way--one that rested partly over the roots of the fern, which looked like an unusually healthy plant Gif tugged at this rock and Fred bent forward to assist him Then, all of a sudden, the rock came out from the split in which it lay, and both cadets slipped and fell on their backs
”Oh, do be careful! You'll have one of those rocks on your toes, sure!”
cried Ruth
She had scarcely spoken when there came a scream from May Powell and Alice Strobell
”A snake! A snake!”
”He's co for us!”