“Not for that reason, Hilary. Why should you take the hardest place?”
A good-natured squabble followed, in which Hilary won, settled Lilian in the bow and pushed the canoe out from the sands, jumping in at the stern. “I’ve got that dandy stroke that Mr. Clark showed me. It keeps the canoe going straight forward and you rest your paddle just a second on the edge, so it’s easier.” As Hilary spoke she gave the shore a final push with her paddle, and sent the canoe gliding smoothly into the deeper water.
“O, isn’t this fun? I just adore canoeing!”
“Adoration, exclamation, consummation,” murmured Lilian.
“Hesitation, coronation,—there are about a hundred of ’em if you are wanting a rhyme.”
One by one the pretty canoes were selected and launched. At first there was apparent confusion as the girls flitted hither and thither, choosing paddles and partners under the general oversight of the athletic director and swimming teacher, but at last the fleet was ready to depart.
The occasion was a picnic at Swan’s Island, a large island in Merrymeeting Bay. As this was the first real canoe trip of any length, only the good paddlers and swimmers were permitted to take out the canoes. The rest went in the Aeolus and Truant, while the Midget with a few passengers carried the lunch. Up to this time there had been instruction, and paddling within certain limits.
Aeolus and Truant led the way. The war canoe followed, with even strokes of the paddles, a great improvement over the first “ragtime” efforts. Then the other canoes, by ones and twos, swept out from shore to round the point into Merrymeeting Bay.
“Look out, Hilary, don’t go out too far. The current is awfully strong out there. Look at Eloise and Helen. My! Are they going to make it? They may have an upset if they are carried down to those rocks.”
Eloise, Evelyn and Helen had gone out too far from the Merrymeeting banks and were struggling against both current and tide, which was going out. But they paddled away, while the Midget was watching to see if they needed help, and had just started toward the girls when they drew out of the stronger current and came up to the other boats.