"Why so can Marmaduke manage it," said Nora; "and he said I needn't be
afraid; but I was."

The carriages took the whole party down to the shore in a few minutes.
There lay the sail-boat all ready, her sails shaken out; and James and
Sam, on board already, received basket after basket from the hands of
Logan and the coachman and stowed them away in what seemed to be a place
of ample accommodations. Daisy and Nora, hand in hand, stood on the
shore looking at all that was done, and with eager eyes. The summer
breeze just played lightly and rippled the water, on which the morning
sun made a warm glow, early in the day as it was.

"What _could_ so many baskets be wanted for?" said Nora.

"Why, to carry all the things. You know there will be a great many
people to eat dinner at Silver Lake."

"Dinner?" said Nora; "do people eat dinner when they go to a pic-nic?"

"Why yes. What do you think they do?"

"I thought it was just a pic-nic."

[Illustration]

"What is that?" said Daisy curiously. But just then there was a stir;
the ladies and gentlemen were getting into the boat, and the children
had to be ready for their turn. It came; and Mr. Randolph handed one
after the other safe over the gunwale of the big sail-boat and placed