Naturally a neat and orderly person, the captain, having made a little study of the methods of loading a canoe for an extended cruise, was able to pack her equipment as efficiently as any experienced canoeist. And in addition, she had selected a greater amount for her own canoe than for any of the girls’. She unfastened a bundle containing a number of water-proof bags and proceeded to pack in one of these a part of the perishable food from the supply of flour, sugar, tea, rice, oatmeal, salt, bacon and other things. Next, she stowed away her personal clothing into another sack.
“You can put at the bottom the things you are least likely to need; and the things you might want at any time you can put on the top, so that you won’t have to dump everything out to get at them,” she explained. “Now when you draw these strings and tie the top securely, your clothing will keep nice and dry, and even if you should upset, it will float after a fashion. Keep your sweater and raincoat out, so that you can put either on at any time—you can roll the sweater up inside the rain-coat to keep it dry, and put them under the seat or in the most convenient place. My blankets, bed-sack, tent, and mosquito netting will go in another sack. Of course, you’ll need to put the heaviest, bulkiest sacks in the middle of your canoe, where they will act as ballast; and see to it that the weight balances properly. See, my load is now too heavy on this side, and tips the canoe; but I’ll put this sack over there to even things up. There! That rides splendidly, doesn’t it? These cooking utensils we’ll put in wherever we can find a place. Now I’m about ready. It didn’t take long, did it? With a little practice, we’ll be able to pack up in no time. Suppose you all start and do yours.”
The girls had watched the process with increasing admiration, until everything, even including Frieda’s things, were compactly stowed away.
“Wonderful!” cried Marjorie.
“Pretty soft for Frieda!” muttered Ruth. “Now we’ve got to do it all for ourselves!”
They all set to work immediately, but the results were not so gratifying, or so quickly obtained. Alice and Florence even succeeded in getting their heaviest load in the bow, and as soon as Miss Phillips discovered this, they were obliged to take everything out and begin all over again.
Finally, all were ready, and one by one, the canoes were pushed off from the shore. Miss Phillips and Frieda, in the Ariel, took the lead.
At first most of the girls’ strokes were rather uneven, and now and then a splash of water would fall into a canoe. They were all very quiet, so absorbed were they in their new occupation and in the scenery on either side.
“Is it as pretty as this all the way down?” asked Marjorie.
“Even prettier, sometimes, I believe,” answered Miss Phillips.