By this time all of the canoes were in extremely shallow water, no longer clear like the swifter stream which they had been following, but so clouded by mud that the exact depth was undeterminable. Tall grass grew here and there—and farther along the water gave almost the appearance of a field. The girls needed no reference to the map now to establish the fact that they were lost. Ruth apologized profusely, lightly blaming Miss Phillips for absorbing her interest in what she was saying.
In the meantime, Marjorie had turned her canoe around so that Doris could reach out her hand and take hold of the stern of Alice’s canoe. It was only a few seconds before they too were turned about, and all were paddling in the direction from which they had just come.
“We’ll go back as quickly as we can,” said Miss Phillips, glancing at her watch. It was already three o’clock.
Ruth paddled swiftly now, realizing that her shoulders were no longer stiff, but in better condition to take up the exercise.
“Here’s the place!” cried Miss Phillips, after about an hour of paddling. “But just think how much time we’ve lost!”
“But we are having a good time!” put in Ruth. It was evident that she was not in the least remorseful over her mistake.
“But we’ll have to camp here,” answered the captain, sharply. “And if you knew of what is awaiting you at Silvertown, you wouldn’t want to lose a single minute more than necessary.”
“I believe someone especially nice is waiting for you,” remarked Ruth, significantly.
And the captain was too embarrassed at the inference to reprove Ruth for her undue familiarity.