“Why did we start so late and against the tide?” asked Lilian.
“Didn’t you hear about the canoes? The men had to go after them this morning. The tide came up so high last night and the girls had not drawn them up high enough. Usually somebody goes down to see if everything is all right, but of course on the night of an unusually high tide it would be forgotten, by the ‘irony of fate’. Four canoes were missing.”
“Did they find them?”
“Yes; some of the Boothbay folks got them and took them in there.”
“Look at our flotilla, Hilary. The English fleet isn’t in it with us!”
“It is lovely, isn’t it? I just love these blue canoes. But ‘bucking the tide’ is no joke. This is hard work. However, think of the howl that would have gone up from one and all of us if we had had to give up the trip!”
“Don’t you wish we had Campbell along?”
“I do indeed, and for no sentimental reason either, Miss Lilian.”
On they paddled. Soon the launches were far in advance. The distance to the island seemed to increase. Eloise, Helen and Evelyn had caught up with Hilary and Lilian and shouted across occasionally.
“Look at Jenkie with Mr. Clark. Isn’t she lucky? See the way he paddles, and look at the way she just dips her oars. Listen, she’s calling.”