But Miss Phillips, now perfectly self-controlled, laughed good naturedly.
“Hardly,” she replied. “First of all, everybody, except Alice, and possibly yourself, Doris, could swim to the mainland and bring a boat for the others. Secondly, although we do not have a great deal of food, we could really live for a long time on what we have. And third, this is not a lonely spot,—there are sure to be boats passing occasionally. But the loss of the canoes themselves,—I guess we could make the rest of the trip to Silvertown by train or trolley—would mean a good deal to the members of Pansy troop.”
“But how do you suppose they got away?” asked Ruth. “Could thieves——?”
“No,” said Miss Phillips; “it is all my fault for not insisting upon tying them in some way. Evidently the stream has a slight tide, like a miniature ocean, and they have simply been washed out and down stream. Yet, I was sure we had pulled them up far enough upon the banks. But the current is not so very fast; perhaps we can catch them.”
“What with?” asked Marjorie. “Are we going to stop and build a raft?”
“No, no!” laughed Miss Phillips; “we’ll swim after them.”
“Oh, Captain, I could never do that! Oh, what shall we do?” wailed Alice, helplessly.
“First of all, obey your scout law: A Girl Scout is cheerful. Next, eat your breakfast that Frieda has prepared for you. And that reminds me, where is the water, Marjorie?”
The girl started guiltily. “We forgot it!” she admitted. “But we’ll go back.”
“Very well; then hurry!”