"Heavens, listen at her!" cried Ferd in alarm. "Is she going to set us towork already--before we get there? What's the idea, Billie?"

"Well," said in reply Billie, biting off her thread calmly, "we have to eatwhile we're there, you know."

"No!" cried Chet sarcastically. "You may, sweet sister, but not us. Weare too ethereal."

"Say, is he insulting us?" cried Ferd indignantly. "Say that again, Idare you--"

"0h, for goodness' sake keep still!" cried Laura, clapping her hands toher ears. "You make me deaf, dumb and blind. Now, Billie, what were yougoing to say?"

"Simply, that since we do have to eat, Chet or anybody else to thecontrary," she looked at her brother and dimpled adorably, "we will haveto decide who is going to do the cooking."

"Why, I suppose we'll take our turns at it, as we've done before when wehave been camping," exclaimed Laura, in surprise.

"I know. But what I want to find out is, are the kids going to do any ofthe work?"