d, excitedly. "All shout as loud as you can, girls;"
and across the water rang the shrill cry of "Help! Help! Help!"

The man riding along the shore caught sight of the flapping skirt, of
hats waving frantically, and the cry of "help" came faintly to his ears.
He stopped his horse and looked around. "Them gals is adrift," he said
to himself. "Whatever possessed 'em I don't know, but I reckon I'll have
to see if I can't stop 'em."

He rode to the water's edge and looked across. "We're right at the
ford," he remarked, as if his horse could understand what he said. "It
won't hurt you to go out," he continued. "It's a hot day, and you can
get cooled off good." And the girls in the boat were rejoiced to see the
horse headed toward them.

"Oh, how lucky that we're at the ford," said Callie, "otherwise the man
might not venture. See, Eleanor! See, Florence, he can tow us in. Haul
up that bit of rope, girls, while I put on my skirt."

The man was not long in coming alongside. "What happened ye?" he asked.
"A lot o' gals like you ain't no business gittin' into such a fix. Whar
did ye start from, anyhow? How long ye been driftin'?"

They told him how the trouble had occurred, and he replied with, "Humph!
I reckon ye'd better not try that agin. You're a matter o' five mile
from home, and the boat don't belong to ye, ye say. How do ye expect to
git back? And how are ye going to manage about the boat? Do ye know
whose it is?"

"No, but we can find out," said Callie. "What do you think would be the
best way to get it home again? Isn't it a dreadful fix to be in? Can you
suggest any way to help us?"

"I might take it up for ye to-morrow, maybe, but ye'll have to pay for
it."

"How much would you charge us?"

"Lemme see; a couple of dollars."

The girls looked at each other, and held a whispered consultation which
resulted in Callie's agreeing to the amount, each girl promising to put
in her share.

The boat was easily towed to the shore; but here it was wet and
slippery, and it required considerable agility to get ashore without
slipping in the soft mud. Every one accomplished it safely but Dimple,
whose foot slipped, and over she went, full length into the mire. A
sorry sight she was indeed, when she was picked up; plastered from head
to foot; face, hands and hair full of the soft ooze. But after she had
been scraped off, Callie concluded that it would be better to let the
sun dry her well, before attempting to get rid