"And Stella," added Molly. "She's coming along behind."
Sure enough, Stella was just appearing round the corner of the house, and walking as sedately as if on her way to church.
"Hurry up, Stella," called Marjorie. "Can we all go, Carter?"
"Yes, if yees'll set still in the boat and if the other little lady gets here before afternoon. She's the nice, quiet child, but you two are a pair of rascally babies, and I don't know whether it's safe to go on the water with ye. I'm thinkin' I'll take little Miss Stella, and leave ye two behind."
"I don't think you will, Carter," said Marjorie, not at all alarmed by the old man's threat. "I think you'll take all three of us, and we'll sit as still as mice, won't we, Molly?"
"Yes," said Molly; "can we take off our shoes and stockings and hang our feet over the sides of the boat?"
"Oh, yes," cried Marjorie, "that will be lots of fun!"
"Indeed you'll do nothing of the sort," and Carter's honest old face showed that he felt great anxiety concerning his madcap charges. "Ye must promise to sit still, and not move hand or foot, or I'll go back to my work and leave yees on shore."
This awful suggestion brought about promises of strictly good behavior, and as Stella had arrived, the party proceeded to the boathouse.
Stella was mildly pleased at the prospect of a row, and walked demurely by Carter's side, while the other two ran on ahead and reached the boathouse first.