The Curlytops were frightened at first when they found that they were adrift in the old boat with neither oars nor poles with which to guide themselves back to shore. But after the first fright Ted laughed and said:
“We’ll go on a voyage; we have something to eat.”
“How far’ll we go?” asked Janet, still a bit alarmed.
“Oh, across to the other shore,” and Ted pointed to the other side of the lake. It was about half a mile away, though once on that shore the children might not have been able to find a path back. For the shore of the lake went winding in and out like the edges of a blot of ink when you splatter a drop on a sheet of paper.
“I wish we could get the poles,” murmured Janet. “Then we could push ourselves back.”
“I’ll try again,” offered Teddy, and he began paddling hard with his hands over the side of the boat, endeavoring to send the craft back to where the two poles could be seen floating.
But as Teddy paddled with his hands only on one side of the boat, it was just the same as if he had rowed with one oar. The scow began to go around in a circle.
“It’s like a merry-go-round!” chuckled Ted.
“But you mustn’t do it!” complained Janet. “It makes me dizzy to go around like that!”
“Well, you paddle on your side then,” suggested Ted. “That’s what we have to do—paddle on both sides.”