'Stayed at home so they'd get a chance to shoot.'

'Why, do you mean you always scare the game away?' inquired Polly,
artlessly.

'No; I mean that I always do all the shooting, and the others get
discouraged.'

'Clasp hands over the bloody chasm,' said Bell, 'and let us smoke the
pipe of peace at dinner.'

Philip and Bell came through the trees, and, as they neared the camp,
saw Aunt Truth sitting at the door of Tent Chatter, looking the very
picture of comfort, as she drew her darning-needle in and out of an
unseemly rent in one of Dicky's stockings. Margery and Polly came up
just behind, and dropped into her lap some beautiful branches of wild
azalea.

'Did you have a pleasant walk, dears?' she asked.

'Yes, indeed, dear auntie. Now, just hold your head perfectly still,
while we decorate you for dinner. We will make Uncle Doc's eyes
fairly pop with admiration. Have you been lonely without us?'

'Oh, not a bit. You see there has been a good deal of noise about
here, and I felt as if I were not alone. Hop Yet has been pounding
soap-root in the kitchen, and I hear the sound of Pancho's axe in the
distance,--the Doctor asked him to chop wood for the camp-fire. Was
Dicky any trouble? Where is he?'