"That's the talk!" cried Dave. "I'd rather eat outdoors any time, if the weather would permit."
"Oh, yes, let us eat on the porch!" cried Jessie. And so, later on, it was arranged, the entire party eating indoors only when it was wet.
The canoes had been turned over and were perfectly dry, but the two rowboats had to be bailed out. Various parties were made up to go out, and presently Dave found himself in one of the canoes with Jessie as his sole companion.
"Any particular place you'd like to go?" questioned our hero, as he dipped his paddle into the lake, and with a firm sweep sent the long and graceful canoe gliding away from the little dock.
"Supposing we go along the shore, Dave?" answered the girl. "I would like to see how it looks beyond this cove."
"All right, I'll keep as close to shore as possible," he replied. And then they set off, leaving the others to go where they pleased.
"You don't suppose there's any danger of our upsetting?" queried Jessie.
"We won't upset if you keep perfectly still," answered Dave. "I think I can manage this craft all right."
On and on they went over the smooth surface of the lake, passing at times close to the shore and under the overhanging branches of trees, which at some points were very thick. In spots the water was shallow, and so clear that they could see the bottom with ease and occasionally catch sight of fishes darting in one direction or another.
"I think we're going to have some fine times fishing up here," declared the youth, as a beautiful trout flashed by only a few feet away.