"Only a ham," said Mary, disappointed, and was hissed at by her young brothers, who did not at all disdain ham. "That is all my contribution," said Mrs. Elliot, as she placed the strawberries at the far end of the tablecloth. "Not so bad," said Wilmot. "I wish I could get this country fare in London, mother." "I wish you could, dear." "Here are Hope's things," said Maude. "Now, Miss Hope, let us see what you can do." "How awfully jealous Maude is!" said George. "Not at all," answered Maude; "but she was perfection before she went, and what she must be now—" "Well," said Hope calmly, "here are a couple of chickens." "You couldn't have made them," said Mary, nodding. "No, I didn't," said Hope. "And here is a meat-pie; and here—" "Stop," said Maude; "did you make the meat-pie?" "I did," answered Hope. "Then let us 'Hope' it will be good," said George. "What else?" "Here are some tartlets, and some lemonade." "Did you make that?" "I did," answered Hope again. "Well done!" exclaimed Wilmot. "Now let us begin." "But here's another basket," said Nellie. There was a general rush, but Hope pushed them away, and told them dryly that that was for tea; whereupon there was a rush back again, and they all settled down to enjoy their dinner. "Now everybody," said Maude, "here is a mysterious package; and what will you give me for its contents?" She took up as she spoke the neatly-folded cloth which had aroused curiosity before, and began to undo it. Inside appeared a number of queer-shaped looking dainty rolls, and Maude held up the top one, saying, "Here is my first pretty thing; whom can it be for?" "It is an M," said little Mary. "Perhaps it is for me." "No, it does not happen to be," said Maude, smiling; "nor for me either; it is for mamma." "Oh, to be sure!" said Mary. "Here is a W." "That is Wilmot," exclaimed Mary. "And here an H for Hope, and an N for Nellie, and so on, and so on," passing them all round with rapid fingers; and then she laughingly told them, they must put some suitable adjectives to each letter before it was eaten, applicable to the person for whom it was made. This set them off with fine jokes, and Wilmot was pronounced "wise" and "witty" and "wilful" in a breath. But they found some of the names more difficult to match; however, it served to amuse them, and dinner was a very cheerful affair. "Now what shall we do next?" asked Wilmot, when dinner was over, stretching himself on his back under a tree, and putting his hat over his eyes. "It is not difficult to guess what you intend to do," said Hope, laughing. "I'm ready for anything," he answered; "but you would not let me help with the plates for fear of breaking them, and so I may as well wait in comfort." "I shall rest here," said Mrs. Elliot, "and very likely go over and peep at the pony at the cottage, and have a talk with the woman who lives there all alone." "We thought of going down to the shore; it is so lovely there, mamma," said Hope.