Tom Fairfield in Camp: or, The Secret of the Old Mill. Chapman Allen

got ready to set them up. They also laid out their stores, and planned how they would arrange the camp. When Jack came back with the water he helped at this work and soon one tent was set up.

      “Dinner!” called Dick, after fussing about the stove for some time.

      “What are you going to give us?” asked Tom.

      “And what are we going to eat from?” asked Jack. “Where’s your table cloth? Set out the knives and forks.”

      “Table! Table cloth!” exclaimed Dick with a grunt. “Say, if you think this is a summer hotel you’ve got another guess coming. I’ve broken out the dishes, and knives, forks and spoons. You can use your lap or a log for a table, though we charge ten cents extra for logs. The money goes to found a home for aged cooks.”

      “Never mind about that!” exclaimed Tom. “Just give us some grub and we’ll do the rest.”

      “Where’s the bill of fare?” asked Jack. “I’m particular about what I eat.”

      “Soup, corned roast beef, potato chips, bread, butter, jam, condensed milk and coffee,” rattled off Dick.

      “I’ll take it all!” came from Bert.

      “Same here!” chorused the other two, and soon the lads were passing around the food.

      “Say, this is all right,” declared Tom, as he tasted the mock-turtle soup. They had brought along several cases of canned goods, soup among them.

      “It’s easy to make,” explained Dick. “All you do is to open the can, chuck in some hot water, heat the mixture for a few minutes, and your soup is made.”

      “How about the roast beef?” asked Bert.

      “I – er – I boiled that,” explained Dick calmly.

      “Boiled it!” cried Tom. “Boiled roast beef! Oh wow!”

      “What difference does it make, as long as it’s hot?” demanded the young cook. “Here, you taste it, and see if it isn’t good. I put some ketchup on it, and a lot of spices, and it tastes – ”

      “It must taste like a mixture of Hungarian goulash and Chinese chop-suey!” laughed Tom. “Boiled roast beef! Oh my stars!”

      “Well, you don’t have to eat it,” fired back Dick, as he dished out a curious mixture. The boys tasted it, and to their surprise it was very good, or perhaps their appetites made it seem so. Then with bread, jam and coffee the meal progressed, and they all declared it a good one.