"Come to think of it--Jim threw it out when he unloaded the truck, and then he must have forgotten to pick it up again," said Mrs. Vernon.
"We'll have to use grass for carpet to-night, then," said Julie.
"Unless you run down and drag it up," ventured Ruth.
"That's what we brought Hepsy for, girls. Who'll drive her down and bring back the rug?" called Mrs. Vernon from the hut.
All four were anxious to drive and enjoy the fun, so Julie jumped on the front seat and the others sat dangling their feet from the back of the buckboard. The Captain stood smiling and watching as they went, thinking to herself, "What a good time they will have in camp!"
When the amateur truckman returned, Ruth called out: "Guess what, Verny? We found the seat of the buckboard in the bushes, too. Wasn't it fortunate we went for the rug?"
"We might have hunted all over the camp for that seat when we want to go for a drive, and never have thought of it being left down there," added Julie.
When the girls ran over to see what next to do, they found the Captain eyeing a board about sixteen inches in length. She was calculating aloud and wondering if it would fit.
"You'll soon find out. Now you girls can unpack the hamper and get luncheon ready--I'm hungry," replied Mrs. Vernon.
She knew this would meet with great approval, and soon they were busy unpacking the ready-made lunch, and placing it on a large flat rock.
"Ruth! quick--brush that awful bug from the butter!" shrieked Julie, as she stood with both her hands filled with dishes.
"Oh--oh! I can't! It's an awful looking creature!" cried Ruth, running away from the rock where the luncheon was spread.
"Joan--come here! What's that beast on the butter--see?" called Julie, trying to set the tier of dishes down on the grass.
"It's only a young dragon-fly--don't you know one when you see it?" laughed Joan, shooing the insect away.
"I've seen them flying in the sunshine, but never on the butter-dish," said Julie, picking up the dishes again and placing them on the cloth.
Mrs. Vernon had started for the rock-table when she heard the shouting, but now she laughed heartily. "Joan, where did you study insect-life that you know so much about one of the common members?"