"No," she answered, "I'll not go out of sight of the pond; so I can easily find my way back. But don't you go off and leave me." "No; if you're not here, I'll hallo when we're 'most ready to start." What treasures Lulu found as she wandered here and there, every now and then turning to look for the pond, and make sure that she was not losing herself, there were acorn-cups, lovely mosses, beautiful autumn leaves--red, orange, golden and green; there were wild grapes too, and hazel-nuts, brown and ripe. Of all these she gathered eagerly until her basket was full, thinking that some would delight Gracie, others propitiate Aunt Beulah. And now she made her way back to the spot where the boys still sat, each with his line in the water. "Have you caught any?" she asked. "Yes," said Max, "I've caught six and Jim has eight. There! I've got another!" giving his line a jerk that sent a pretty speckled trout floundering in the grass. "I'll take it off the hook for you," said Lulu, springing forward and dropping on her knees beside it. "And then you'll let me try, won't you?" "Yes," Max answered in a half-reluctant tone, getting up to give her his place. "There are hazel-nuts right over there a little way," Lulu said, pointing with her finger. "Oh, then I'll have some!" cried Max, starting on a run in the direction indicated. He came back after a while bringing some in his hat, picked up some stones, and seating himself near the others, cracked his nuts, sharing generously with them. Presently Lulu had her first bite, succeeded in bringing her prize safely to land, and was quite wild with delight. Max rejoiced with her, taking brotherly pride in her success. "You'll do for a fisherman or fisherwoman," he said gayly. "I sha'n't be much surprised if you beat me at it one o' these days." Then struck with a sudden unwelcome thought, "I wonder what time it is!" he exclaimed, jumping up from the ground in haste and perturbation. "Do you s'pose it's noon yet, Jim?" "Which way's the sun?" queried the latter, glancing toward the sky; "it ought to be right overhead at noon. Why, it's down some toward the west! I shouldn't wonder if it's as late as two o'clock." "Two o'clock!" cried Max in dismay, "and I was to be back by noon! Won't I catch it!" and he began gathering up his fish and fishing-tackle in great haste, Jim doing likewise, with the remark that he would be late to dinner and maybe have to go without. Lulu was giving Max all the assistance in her power, her face full of sympathy. "Max," she whispered, hurrying along close at his side as they started on their homeward way, "don't let that horrid, cruel, wicked man beat you! I wouldn't. I'd fight him like anything!" Max shook his head. "'Twouldn't do any good, Lulu; he's so much bigger and stronger than I am that fighting him would be worse for me than taking the thrashing quietly." "I could never do that!" she said. "But don't wait for me if you want to go faster." "I don't," said Max.