e boy's
visits a novelty instead of making of them a commonplace event, and
sensed how much knowledge he was bringing into the invalid's room, they
decided to let matters progress as they were going. They did, however,
arrange occasional holidays for the lad and many a jolly outing did Ted
have in consequence. Had they displayed less wisdom they might have
wrecked the friendship altogether. As it was they strengthened it daily
and the little shack among the pines became to both Ted and to Laurie
the most loved spot in the world. Frequently the servants from Pine Lea
surprised the boys by bringing them their luncheon there; and sometimes
Mrs. Fernald herself came hither with her tea-basket, and the entire
family sat about before the great stone fireplace and enjoyed a picnic
supper.

It was after one of these camping teas that Mr. Clarence Fernald bought
for Laurie a comfortable Adirondack canoe luxuriously fitted up with
cushions. The stream before the boathouse was broad and contained
little or no current except down toward Pine Lea, where it narrowed
into rapids that swept over the dam at Freeman's Falls. Therefore if
one kept along the edges of the upper part of the river, there was no
danger and the canoe afforded a delightful recreation. Both the elder
Fernalds and Mr. Hazen rowed well and Ted pulled an exceptionally
strong oar for a boy of his years. Hence they took turns at propelling
the boat and soon Laurie was as much at home on the pillows in the
stern as he was in his wheel-chair.

He greatly enjoyed the smooth, jarless motion of the craft; and often,
even when it was anchored at the float, he liked to be lifted into it
and lie there rocking with the wash of the river. It made a change
which he declared rested him, and it was through this simple and
apparently harmless pleasure that a terrible catastrophe took place.

On a fine warm afternoon Mr. Hazen and Laurie went over to the shack to
meet Ted who usually returned from work shortly after four o'clock. The
door of the little camp was wide open when they arrived but their host
was nowhere to be seen. This circumstance did not trouble them,
however, for on the days when Laurie was expected Ted always left the
boathouse unlocked. What did disconcert them and make Laurie impatient
was to discover that through some error in reckoning they were almost
an hour too early.

"Our clocks must have been ahead of time," fretted the boy. "We shall
have to hang rou