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Page 48
"All aboard!" said Roger.
"Ay! ay! Captain!" said Hildegarde, cheerily. She handed in the
groceries which they had bought at the little store, half a mile
away, stepped lightly into the exact middle of the canoe, and sank
with one motion to her seat.
Roger nodded approvingly. "You are perfect in your entrances!" he
said. "Some day I shall have to drill you in your exits, as I did
the girls."
"What do you mean?" asked Hilda. "Don't I get out properly?"
"Quite well enough for ordinary occasions. But I made the girls
put on their bathing-dresses, and then took them out and tipped
them over, so that they would know just what to do."
"Thank you kindly. As I have not my bathing-dress on to-day,
please don't give me a lesson just now."
They paddled on in silence; the two had become fast friends since
the day of Madge's visit, and had had many pleasant paddles
together. Hildegarde looked about her, at peace with all the
world. Pollock's Cove was a thousand miles away, and there was
nothing to break the spirit of peace that brooded over the water.
Are you so sure, Hilda?
The girl's face was set toward the land; she saw the wooded island
with its fringe of silver birches standing like sentinels to guard
the water's edge; she saw the lovely tangle of asters and golden-
rod that gave it its name of Royal Island, and the strip of sand
on which the waves were lapping gently; but she saw nothing of the
west behind her.
"What are you watching so earnestly, Captain?" she said presently.
"No boats, I hope?"
"No, no boats! we may have a shower by-and-bye; but I hope we
shall get home in time."
It was a curious sky that Roger was watching. The day had been
smoky throughout, with ragged brown clouds hanging about the
horizon, and thunder muttering low in the distance. The smoky
fringe might well come from the forest fires which were raging in
a neighbouring district, Roger thought, and the thunder was an
every-day matter of hot weather; but now the clouds were beginning
to thicken at one point, and their ragged edges turned to firmer
roundings, and their hue was fast deepening to black. Roger
paddled with strong, even strokes, and the canoe flew over the
water. The distant thunder-growl took on a more insistent voice,
and every now and then came a long rolling note, which seemed to
pass on and over their heads.
"'Hear now how dey roll de great balls about,'" quoted Hildegarde.
"If we were in the Catskills, we might look out for Hendrik Hudson
and his men, after such a peal as that."
"I am afraid we may have to look out for ourselves!" said Roger,
laughing. "I begin to feel rather doubtful about getting home
before the storm, Miss Hilda."
"It is growing dark, isn't it?" said Hilda, innocently. "Will it
be much of a shower, do you think, Captain?"
"Well,--I think we may observe slight alterations in the
atmospheric conditions. You are not afraid of a squall?"
"No, indeed! only tell me what I must do."
"Nothing but sit still--the hardest thing for some people to do;
but I have noticed that you are not fidgety. Is your hat securely
fastened?"
"As securely as my head!"
"That is well. Stand by, then, and be ready, for it is coming
pretty near."
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