The children ran down to where they had left their shoes and stockings, and putting them on, followed their guide to the creek.
There in the reeds, close to the bank, they found a canoe; it had pointed ends, and was hollowed out of a large tree trunk, and the bottom was covered with the small leafy twigs of the manuka.
“Get in, children,” said Red Cap.
“There are no seats,” said little Cis.
“Never mind,” answered Red Cap; “sit quite still on the bottom, and hold tightly to the sides.”
So Hal helped Cis in carefully, for it seemed as if very little would upset the canoe, and Red Cap, taking up a paddle, pushed out into the stream.
Then, how quickly they floated along on the rapidly running water; how delightful was the swift motion without any effort, making the children feel giddy as some swift eddy hurried them round the turns of the stream. On, on past the reedy banks, over deep pools and weedy shallows, faster and faster, Red Cap steering here and there with a touch of the paddle.
At last they came to the end of the rapids, and Red Cap steered the canoe to a little curve in the banks, and Cis and Hal jumped out.
“It was splendid,” cried Hal, “to come all that way so quickly, without any trouble, wasn’t it, Cis?”