have a chance at that basket if I have to carry it around on my back."

Constance, too, said, "Take it along."

"It's easy enough for you girls to insist on having the basket toted
around," said Dick, "because girls can't carry anything when there are
boys along; but suppose you were a poor little fellow like Jule."

"I wont have to climb the trees with it on my back, will I?" said
Julius. "I'll tell you," he continued, lowering his tone--Bob had
heard all the preceding remarks--"we'll hang our basket on a hickory
limb. It will be safe from hogs, and the leaves will hide it from
Bob."

This proposition was approved, and the basket was carried off a short
distance and slyly swung into a sapling. Then the eight went scurrying
through the woods, leaving Bob with the horses. Wherever they saw a
lemon-tinted tree-top against the sky or crowded into one of those
fine autumn bouquets a clump of trees can make, there rushed a squad
of boys, each with his basket, followed by a squad of girls, each with
her basket.

But in a very short time the girls were tired and the boys hungry. All
agreed to go back to the lunch. So back they hurried, the nuts rolling
about over the bottoms of the baskets. Julius had the most nuts; he
had eleven. Mat had the smallest number; she had one.

[Illustration: "'I BELIEVE SHE'S GONE DRY,' SAID KIT."]

"I hope you girls brought along lots of goodies," said Dick. "Seems to