“One hour more!” said Ruth, “and we’ll see our house, and Silvertown!”
“One hour more!” echoed Doris, “and we’ll know who is giving us our wonderful trip!”
“One hour more!” added Miss Phillips, “and you’ll get the surprise of your life!”
“Oh, what, Captain?” asked Ruth, with intense interest.
“Or perhaps I had better say surprises!” she corrected. “For there will be more than one!”
The creek had become wider now, and it was more difficult to handle the canoes. But the girls put forth great effort, even succeeding in increasing their speed, so anxious were they to reach their destination. The scenery was lovely; now and then there were attractive bungalows along the water’s edge. The girls watched impatiently for signs of Silvertown.
“We shall approach the town from the rear,” observed Miss Phillips; “so we will not get the best view.”
“And how are we to know it?” asked Frances.
“We shall see the big lake joining the creek, and then in a minute or two, we’ll see it. As I have said before, the whole place isn’t very big.”
When the canoes actually came to the lake and approached, as Ruth said, “the isle of their dreams,” they were surprised at how little of the town they could actually see. For, on the shore towards the creek the trees were large and close together; only the roof of the church or a particularly high house was now and again visible above the trees.