ems to be a light sleeper, and it would
be awkward to have him shoot at us."

She sat in thought for quite a while. Hutchins was watching the sunset,
and seemed depressed and silent. Tish lowered her voice.

"There's no reason why we shouldn't have a red flag, too," she said. "It
gives us an even chance to get in on whatever is about to happen. We can
warn Mr. McDonald, for one thing, if any one comes here. Personally I
think he is unjustly suspected."

[But Tish was to change her mind very soon.]

We made the flag that night, by lantern light, out of Tish's red silk
petticoat. Hutchins was curious, I am sure; but we explained nothing.
And we fastened it obliquely over the river, like the one on the other
side.

Tish's change of heart, which occurred the next morning, was due
to a most unfortunate accident that happened to her at nine o'clock.
Hutchins, who could swim like a duck, was teaching Tish to swim, and
she was learning nicely. Tish had put a life-preserver on, with a
clothes-line fastened to it, and Aggie was sitting on the bank holding
the rope while she went through the various gestures.

Having completed the lesson Hutchins went into the woods for red
raspberries, leaving Tish still practicing in the water with Aggie
holding the rope. Happening to sneeze, the line slipped out of her hand,
and she had the agonizing experience of seeing Tish carried away by the
current.

I was washing some clothing in the river a few yards down the stream
when Tish came floating past. I shall never forget her expression or my
own sense of absolute helplessness.

"Get the canoe," said Tish, "and follow. I'm heading for Island Eleven."

[Illustration: "Get the canoe and follow. I'm heading for Island Eleven"]

She was quite calm, though pale; but, in her anxiety to keep well above
the water, she did what was almost a fatal thing--she pushed the
life-preserver lower down round her body. And having shifted the
floating center, so to speak, without warning her head disappeared and
her feet rose in the air.

For a time it looked as though she would drown in that position; but
Tish rarely loses her presence of mind. She said she knew at once what
was wrong. So, though somewhat handicapped by the position, she replaced
the cork belt under her arms and emerged at last.

Aggie had started back into the woods for Hutchins; but, with one thing
and another, it was almost ten before they returned together. Tish by
that time w