"Oh, my back aches so! I think clamming is dreadfully hard work. How you folks can find sport in everything you do is beyond me. Now I would much rather help fix the fire and let one of you two girls take my place clamming," remarked Eleanor.
"The fire's all ready, and Miss Miller is going to start the chowder. But you can help collect more wood from that grove so we will have a pile on hand," said Zan, with a frown.
Eleanor ran away and Zan looked at the Guide, but her face expressed nothing that would encourage the girl to criticise the indolent member of the Band.
[Illustration: _A DIP IN THE "BRINY DEEP."_]
Eleanor was gone a long time without having brought in any wood when Hilda was asked to go in search of her.
"Good gracious me! Not only does Eleanor make a burden of herself for the Band but now she needs a nurse to watch and keep her from mischief!" declared Hilda, impatiently.
Hilda ran off and Zan stood watching her out of sight. Then she turned to the Guide: "Now what next?"
"I have just been thinking that we might have potatoes with fish for lunch and save that chowder for supper when the visitors are here."
"Um--it's very filling, I have heard," commented Zan.
Miss Miller laughed. "Yes, and it needs a long time for cooking well. Besides, we won't need to waste any good time over an elaborate meal with that chowder to found on."
"Will there be fish enough to go round?" asked Zan.
"Yes, Jack brought up several fine fish that Fiji and he caught at dawn this morning, so we ought to fare very well."
Hilda now came back with Eleanor strolling after her--Hilda carrying the heavy load of wood, and Eleanor whipping the heads from some late goldenrod with a switch.
"I found her stretched out on some moss blinking up at the blue sky!" reported Hilda, disdainfully.
"Why shouldn't I rest after working so hard? Look at the wood I found," retorted Eleanor.
"Why didn't you lug it into camp? There's no credit due you for finding a few sticks if you don't carry out the task to fulfilment," scorned Zan.
"Miss Miller, I'm sick of this business! I never was so hard worked in my life, and to think how everyone finds fault with me for not doing more," said Eleanor, testily.
"I wonder if any of you girls stopped to think that you could start a list for your fish _coups_ by knowing and studying the fish caught here. Suppose you all begin with these three kinds," suggested Miss Miller, wisely.