"She's half full of water, that's all," replied Charley, beginning to bail vigorously with his hat.
"Halloo!" cried Joe, suddenly. "Here's the water up to the top of my cushions."
"We'd better paddle on and get ashore as soon as possible," said Harry; "my boat is leaking a little too."
Charley bailed steadily for ten minutes, and somewhat reduced the amount of water in his canoe. The moment he began paddling, however, the leak increased. He paddled with his utmost strength, knowing that if he did not soon reach land he would be swamped; but the water-logged canoe was very heavy, and he could not drive her rapidly through the water. His companions kept near him, and advised him to drop his paddle and bail, but he knew that the water was coming in faster than he could bail it out, and so he wasted no time in the effort. It soon became evident that his canoe would never keep afloat to reach the sand-spit for which he had been steering, so he turned aside and paddled for a little clump of bushes, where he knew the water must be shallow. Suddenly he stopped paddling, and almost at the same moment his canoe sank under him, and he sprang up to swim clear of her.
[to be continued.]
[PHRONY JANE'S LAWN PARTY.]
BY SYDNEY DAYRE.
"Now, Johnny, leave your saw."