CHAPTER XXX 

FERN Mullins rushed into the house on a Saturday morning early in September and shrieked at Carol, "School starts next Tuesday. I've got to have one more spree before I'm arrested. Let's get up a picnic down the lake for this afternoon. Won't you come, Mrs. Kennicott, and the doctor? Cy Bogart wants to go--he's a brat but he's lively." 

"I don't think the doctor can go," sedately. "He said something about having to make a country call this afternoon. But I'd love to." 

"That's dandy! Who can we get?" 

"Mrs. Dyer might be chaperon. She's been so nice. And maybe Dave, if he could get away from the store." 

"How about Erik Valborg? I think he's got lots more style than these town boys. You like him all right, don't you?" 

So the picnic of Carol, Fern, Erik, Cy Bogart, and the Dyers was not only moral but inevitable. 

They drove to the birch grove on the south shore of Lake Minniemashie. Dave Dyer was his most clownish self. He yelped, jigged, wore Carol's hat, dropped an ant down Fern's back, and when they went swimming (the women modestly changing in the car with the side curtains up, the men undressing behind the bushes, constantly repeating, "Gee, hope we don't run into poison ivy"), Dave splashed water on them and dived to clutch his wife's ankle. He infected the others. Erik gave an imitation of the Greek dancers he had seen in vaudeville, and when they sat down to picnic supper spread on a lap-robe on the grass, Cy climbed a tree to throw acorns at them.  QUESTIONS:

Q1:
1. Who rushed into the house?
2. Who arrived at the house in a hurry?
3. Who quickly clamored into the house?
Q2:
1. When did Fern Mullins arrive?
2. When did Fern Mullins get to the house?
3. When did Fern Mullins come into the house?
Q3:
1. Did Fern arrive late in the day?
2. Was it late when Fern Mullins got to the house?
3. Did Fern arrive at the house in the evening?
Q4:
1. In what month does the story take place?
2. What month is the story set in?
3. In what month did Fern go to the house?
Q5:
1. Why was everyone so excited?
2. What was causing all of the excitement?
3. What was all the excitement about at the beginning?
Q6:
1. What was so special about the picnic?
2. What made this picnic different?
3. Why was this picnic exciting in particular?
Q7:
1. Why was Fern looking to go on a spree before her arrest?
2. What made Fern so keen on having a spree before her arrest?
3. Did Fern want to picnic for a reason other than her impending arrest?
Q8:
1. Who all went to the picnic?
2. Who was present at the picnic?
3. Who were the people who came to the picnic?
Q9:
1. Was the picnic an immoral act?
2. Was there anything immoral about having the picnic?
3. Was having the picnic an immoral choice?
Q10:
1. Who chaperoned the picnic?
2. Who served as chaperone for the picnic?
3. Who came to chaperone the picnic?
Q11:
1. What did Fern say about Eric?
2. How did Fern feel about Eric?
3. What did Fern have to say about Eric?
Q12:
1. Where did they go for the picnic?
2. What was the setting of the picnic?
3. What was the location of the picnic?
Q13:
1. What was the grove like?
2. What were the characteristics of the grove?
3. What kind of grove was described?
Q14:
1. Did they go to a birch grove?
2. Is there a birch grove in the story?
3. Was the grove filled with birch trees?
Q15:
1. How was Dave Dyer acting?
2. What was Dave Dyer acting like?
3. How was Mr. Dyer behaving on the trip?
Q16:
1. What did Dave Dyer do to the others?
2. What is one action Dave Dyer performed?
3. What did Dave Dyer do on the picnic?
Q17:
1. Whose hat did Dave Dyer wear?
2. Who did the hat Dave was wearing belong to?
3. Who was the owner of the hat Dave wore?
Q18:
1. Who was described as a brat?
2. Who got characterized as a brat?
3. Who got labelled as a brat?
Q19:
1. What did Cy do?
2. What did Cy do to the others during the picnic?
3. What action did Cy perform at the picnic?
Q20:
1. Why did Cy climb the tree?
2. What was Cy's purpose for climbing up the tree?
3. What did Cy do once he got up the tree?
