“Somebody can only have four saddles,” Dolph went on. “I imagine the poor fellow’s feelings when his appetite keeps on calling for another, and he sees his comrades holding up a tempting morsel on their forks, but none for him! It is a terrible thought.”
“Make your mind easy, old fellow. Never despair. See, I’m game enough to offer myself as the victim. I’ll take just four as my portion,” Teddy cried out.
“I refuse to accept the noble sacrifice. We’ll have to draw lots,” said Dolph, with an air of determination; while Amos listened to the humorous dialogue with a broad smile of appreciation on his face.
“But I mightn’t like frogs’ legs; I’ve never tried ’em before,” insisted Teddy.
“No danger of that happening. You’ll just adore them, and I know it. And we’ll certainly have to draw lots to see who has to curtail his appetite.”
“Oh! well, just as you say; I don’t want to kick up any row in the family.” Teddy concluded, with the resigned air of one who gives in in order to keep the peace, yet still clings to his opinion.
“You went and blew that horn on me too soon,” complained Dolph.
“But the coffee was all ready,” said Teddy.
“Yes, and I’d just discovered the granddaddy of all the bull frogs. He was sitting there, winking at me. And I could see he just loved queer red bugs that came down to dangle in front of his nose. I make it a rule never to disobey a call to dinner, and that’s why I failed to get the fifteenth. Wish I’d gone back, now.”
“There’s the place for our camp, I guess,” exclaimed Teddy just then.
Both of the other canoe cruisers united in voicing their appreciation for Teddy’s selection. Indeed, it seemed as though Nature had taken especial pains to create an ideal site for a summer camp.
There were enough trees for shade, without interfering too much with their view of the lake. The ground had a gentle slope that promised them immunity from a flooded tent in case of heavy rain. And there was the clear water of the lake within reach, for all purposes—drinking if need be, fishing, boating and swimming.
There was the nicest little beach just in front, where the canoes could be landed. And as the three lads jumped ashore, they felt satisfied that the conditions could not possibly be improved on.