"Very well, we'll stay," said Mother Brown; and so it was arranged.
The four young people went ashore, the young ladies in borrowed clothes, and the men, in their own damp garments, carrying the paddles. They attracted some little attention from the crowd on the dock. It was very evident what had happened. But as canoe upsets are very common at shore resorts in the summer, no one took it very seriously, especially as no one was drowned or hurt.
"We'll send back your things in the morning," called Mildred and Grace to Mrs. Brown, as they went up to the hotel.
"You'll find us right here," said Captain Ross. "I'm mighty glad it was no worse," he said to his friends on the Fairy. "I should hate to have your summer outing spoiled by an accident, even if it was the fault of those in the canoe. But it reminds me of a riddle. See if you can guess it, Bunny and Sue. What goes under the water and over the water and never touches the water?"
"A fish!" guessed Bunny.
"A fish is always in the water," cried Sue, laughing.
"Oh, so it is," said her brother.
"Say it again," begged Sue.
The jolly captain did so, and when Bunny and Sue gave up, after several wrong guesses, the seaman said:
"A man walking over a bridge with a pail of water on his head. He goes over the water, and he's under the water in the pail, and yet he doesn't touch the water."