While the men were busy arranging the shelters and bedding, Mrs.
Elmer and Ruth, assisted by one of the negroes, were cooking
supper over a bed of coals that had been raked from the fire. A
huge pot of coffee sent forth clouds of fragrant steam, and in two
frying-pans some freshly caught fish sizzled and browned in a most
gratifying and appetizing manner. In a couple of kettles hung over
the fire hominy and sweet potatoes bubbled, boiled, and tried to
outdo each other in getting done. Fresh-made bread and a good
supply of butter had been brought from the schooner. When the
supper was all ready, and spread out on a green table-cloth of
palm-leaves, Mark and Ruth declared that this picnic was even
jollier than the one on the island of the Florida Reef, and that
this was after all one of the very best Christmases they had ever
known.

After supper, and when the dishes had all been washed and put
away, the Elmers, Captain Johnson, and Jan sought the shelter of
the canvas awning from the heavy night-dew which had begun to fall
as soon as the sun went down. They lifted the sides, so that they
could look out and see the fire around which the crew were
gathered. After a while one of these started a plaintive negro
melody, which sounded very sweetly through the still air. The
others took it up, and they sang for an hour or more, greatly to
the delight of the children, to whom such music was new. Many of
the words were composed as they sang, and Mark and Ruth could not
help laughing at some of them, which, though sung very soberly,
sounded funny. One song which they afterwards remembered was:

"Oh, dey put John on de islan'
When de Bridegroom come;