“Yes, Rhoda, ever since we started into the St. Lawrence I’ve been saying ‘I love Thy rocks and rills, Thy woods and templed hills’, even if these are not all of my own country. Look. There seems to be a sort of red rock as the foundation of the islands. There’s a dear little one that I’d like to own. Think of a cottage there among the trees and a place for the water birds to build in the rocks!”
“You wouldn’t like it in winter, would you?”
“No, nor in summer without a launch. But you mustn’t be so practical, Cathalina, can’t one have a little fancy?”
“Dear old Hilary! Purr-rr! Her shall have her little island!”
“Campbell likes the water, too. Wouldn’t Thousand Islands be a lovely place for a honeymoon?”
“Sh-sh, Lilian, the other girls might hear and Hilary wouldn’t like it.”
“I should think Hilary wouldn’t,” commented the young lady herself. “Please, girls, why are you so silly?”
“Well,” said Lilian, “when a certain young man finds out that a certain young lady is going to a camp and immediately takes steps to get himself appointed as councillor at a camp very near and under the same management, it looks as if there were some connection anyhow!”
Hilary smiled, but made a little pouting face at Lilian, as she moved over to where Marjorie and Rhoda were focusing their field glasses on more rapids ahead.
“O, the most interesting thing, Hilary,” cried June. “I heard a gentleman tell his wife that there is only one pilot who can take the boat through the rapids, and he has to go up every day to do it. He learned it from his father, and his son is watching him to learn how.”