`` Shall we stay over the Fourth ? Three whole days ! Oh , me ! what a frolic it will be ! '' `` Bless your heart , we often camp for a week , we big fellows ; but this year the small chaps wanted to come , so we let them . We have great larks , as you 'll see ; for we have a cave and play Captain Kidd , and have shipwrecks , and races , and all sorts of games . Arch and I are rather past that kind of thing now , but we do it to please the children , '' added Charlie , with a sudden recollection of his sixteen years . `` I had no idea boys had such good times . Their plays never seemed a bit interesting before . But I suppose that was because I never knew any boys very well , or perhaps you are unusually nice ones , '' observed Rose , with an artless air of appreciation that was very flattering . `` We are a pretty clever set , I fancy ; but we have a good many advantages , you see . There are a tribe of us , to begin with ; then our family has been here for ages , and we have plenty of ` spondulics , ' so we can rather lord it over the other fellows , and do as we like . There , ma'am , you can hang your smashed glass on that nail and do up your back hair as fine as you please . You can have a blue blanket or a red one , and a straw pillow or an air cushion for your head , whichever you like . You can trim up to any extent , and be as free and easy as squaws in a wigwam , for this corner is set apart for you ladies and we never cross the line uncle is drawing until we ask leave . Anything more I can do for you , cousin ? '' `` No , thank you . I think I 'll leave the rest till auntie comes , and go and help you somewhere else , if I may . '' `` Yes , indeed , come on and see to the kitchen . Can you cook ? ''
asked XXXXX , as he led the way to the rocky nook where Archie was putting up a sail-cloth awning .
Charlie Fourth Kidd Rose days shipwrecks spondulics week wigwam years