Ben laughed, and presented his friends to the young ladies and then to Miss Bessie’s father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Clarke. The last named expressed her sympathy for the boys in their accident, and suggested that the yacht should be used to carry them back to their camp.
“I don’t believe they want to go back, unless Mr. Dallett wants to get that suit of papa’s he wore the other night,” said Miss Bessie, mischievously. “That would make a good go-to-meeting suit for him.”
Ben laughingly declared that he preferred his present garments, but the offer of Mrs. Clarke to the free use of the yacht was declined, and, waiting only until the party had disappeared up the street on their way to the church, the boys speedily reëmbarked, and began to paddle swiftly back toward the camp on Pine Tree Island.
“I say, fellows,” said Ben, eagerly, as they landed, “let’s dress up and go back again. We’ll get there in time for the benediction.”
“It’s more than that you need,” said Bert, glumly. “Tipping two canoes over in one morning ought to be enough to satisfy you.”
“Ben’s right,” said Jock, quickly. “It’ll be all the better to go back now. We don’t want to give up, do we? We started out to go to church, and I say let’s go. We’ll have to be quick about it, though, to get in even for the benediction.”
The proposal was agreed to, and hastily changing their clothing they resumed their places in the canoes, and soon afterward landed at the dock at Alexandria Bay. Then they walked swiftly up the street to the little church, but were chagrined to find that they were too late even for the final part of the service. The congregation had already been dismissed, and as the boys approached the building they discovered the people just beginning to depart.
Their friends soon perceived them and expressed their surprise at their return, which Ben hastened to explain had been brought about by their desire to accomplish that which they had set out to do in the beginning. “They were not going to be floored,” he declared, “by any such little thing as the upsetting of a canoe.”
As they walked down to the dock, Mr. Clarke said to Jock, “I received a letter from your father, yesterday.”