“I guess that was the way of it, though,” said Alf. “The little fool! The idea of his paddling around in a canoe and not knowing the first thing about swimming. He ought to be—be spanked!”
“I guess when he gets around again he won’t need any spanking to keep him away from canoes. Canoes are pretty good fun, but fellows ought to understand that they’re about as treacherous a craft as there is made. And if I were you,” added Dan, “I’d keep out of them awhile, too, Gerald.”
“Don’t you worry,” was the reply. “I don’t want to see one of them again for a year. Besides, I guess my father will have something to say, too.”
“I guess he will,” returned Dan grimly. “And he may have something to say to me, too. I am supposed to watch out for you, and I don’t seem to have been doing it very well. He knew you were going out in a canoe, didn’t he, Gerald?”
Gerald hesitated and colored.
“I—I don’t believe he did,” he answered finally. “I never said anything to him about it.”
“You’re a wonder!” said Dan disgustedly. “Supposing you’d been drowned to-day! A nice pickle I’d have been in, wouldn’t I?”
“Well, I guess I’d have been in a nice pickle myself,” replied Gerald spiritedly. “And it seems to me I’d be worse off than you, Dan!”
“He’s got you there,” laughed Alf.