But a complete knowledge of mountain-climbing was of little use here; it
was each one for himself in the scramble for the top, for there could be
little help given either in front or rear.
A mad rush up the bank, at an angle that offered some slight foothold,
brought Dexie, hot and panting, to the top, and she turned to give a word
of instruction to Elsie, who was trying to climb the steep face of the bank
only to find that she slipped back almost as fast as she ascended.
"Go back to the bottom, Elsie, and make a run for that bunch of grass where
I came up; you will never get up there; watch Gertrude Fremont. Now, Elsie,
run for it!"
After a few minutes' hard climbing, Elsie reached the top, and the next few
minutes were spent in shaking their skirts, and emptying their shoes from
the accumulation of sand that filled every crevice. A smooth spot was then
found to do duty as a table, and the snowy cloths were spread, when the
contents of the heavy baskets revealed themselves, and all the delights of
a picnic in the woods were present in abundance.
Even the long-legged spiders, who invariably invite themselves to such
gatherings, and persist in walking over and around the various viands, were
here represented by members of the family who seemed to be great
grandfathers of their tribe, judging by their size; and the dexterity shown
by some of the young gentlemen in picking up these wandering vagrants and
sending them back into oblivion, called forth much praise from the female
portion of the party.
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