noon
She 's ever so nice . '' From this it may be inferred that our `` Sweet Alice '' had resolved to protect herself against any romantic _ tête-à-têtes _ in the woods with a certain well-intentioned but presuming young man who might desire to play Romeo . This was not quite to his taste , but he had the good sense not to show it , and all the next day he divided his attentions impartially between the two young ladies . The plan as mapped by Alice was carried out to the letter , and when the two young men joined the girls at noon they found a broad flat rock in the woods had been covered with a tablecloth and spread with a tempting meal . The girls had gathered great bunches of that beautiful flower pink laurel , and a cluster of it decked the table . After dinner our imperious Alice insisted that they visit the mill-pond once more , and when they returned at night , with two baskets of trout , and laurel and pond lilies enough to stock a flower stand , the day was voted an eminent success . Frank made one error , however , for just before they left the mill he slipped away unobserved , and finding the miller , put a bit of paper into his hand with the remark , `` Keep this to pay for the boat , '' and left him hurriedly .