Mary Erskine then brought out one of her baskets, and lifting up the cover, she took out five saucers and five spoons.
"There," said she, "I brought you some saucers and spoons to eat your strawberries with.

Now take up the bunches from your dippers, and pull off the strawberries from the stems, and put them in the saucers." While the children were all busily engaged in doing this, Mary Erskine opened the other basket, and took out a pitcher of very rich looking cream.

The sight of this treasure of course awakened in all the party the utmost enthusiasm and delight.

They went on hulling their strawberries very industriously, and were soon ready, one after another, to have the cream poured over them, which Mary Erskine proceeded to do, giving to each one of the children a very abundant supply.
[Illustration: THE STRAWBERRY PARTY.] Phonny finished his strawberries first, and then went to the margin of the brook to look into the water, in order, as he said, "to see if he could see any fishes." He did see several, and became greatly excited in consequence, calling eagerly upon the rest of the party to come down and look.

He said that he wished very much that he had a fishing-line.