"I don't know! I declare, I'm 'most tired of picnics; they cost more than they come to. If we could tackle up, now, and go off by ourselves, early some morning, and get what we want--there'd be some fun in that." "It's a very lonely place, mother." "That's what I say. I'm tired o' livin' for ever in a crowd." "But you said you'd go?" "Well, I'm goin'!" "Then we must take something." "Well; I'm goin' to. I calculated to take something." "What?" "Somethin' 'nother nobody else'll take--if I could contrive what that'd be." "Well, mother, I can tell you. Somebody'll be sure to carry cake, and pies, and cold ham and cheese, and bread and butter, and cold chicken. All that's sure." "Exactly. I could have told you as much myself, Diana. What I want to know is, somethin' nobody'll take." "Green corn to boil, mother?" "Well!" said Mrs. Starling, musing, "that _is_ an idea. How'd you boil it?" "Must take a pot--or borrow one." "Borrow! Not I, from any o' the Bear Hill folks. I couldn't eat corn out o' _their_ kettles. It's a sight o' trouble anyhow, Diana." "Then, mother, suppose I make a chicken pie?" "Do what you've a mind to, child. And there must be a lot o' coffee roasted. I declare, if I wasn't clean out o' blackberry wine, I'd cut the whole concern. There'll be churning just ready Thursday; and Josiah had ought to be sent off to mill, we're 'most out o' flour, and he can't go to-morrow, for he's got to see to the fence round the fresh pasture lot. And I want to clean the kitchen this week. There's no sittin' still in this world, I do declare! I haven't set a stitch in those gowns o' mine since last Friday, neither; and Society comes here next week. And if I don't catch Josiah before he goes out to work in the morning and get the stove cleaned out--the flues are all choked up--it'll drive me out o' the house or out o' my mind, with the smoke; and Bear Hill won't come off then." Bear Hill did "come off," however. Early on the morning of Thursday, Josiah might be seen loading up the little green waggon with tin kettles and baskets, both empty and full. Ears of corn went in too, for the "idee" had struck Mrs. Starling favourably, and an iron pot found its way into one corner. Breakfast was despatched in haste; the house locked up and the key put under the door-stone for Josiah to find at noon; and the two ladies mounted and drove away while the morning light was yet fresh and cool, and the shadows of the trees lay long in the meadow. August mornings and evenings were seldom hotter than was agreeable in Pleasant Valley.