ee strokes with the paddle before he was in the blue canoe.

Hutchins saw him just then and scowled. The last we saw of her she was
moving rapidly up the river and the detective was dropping slowly
behind. They both disappeared finally into the bay and Tish drew a long
breath.

"Typical!" she said curtly. "He's sent here to watch a dangerous man and
spends his time pursuing the young woman who hates the sight of him.
When women achieve the suffrage they will put none but married men in
positions of trust."

Hutchins and the detective were still out of sight when supper-time
came. The spy's supper weighed on us, and at last Tish attempted to
start the motor launch. We had placed the supper and the small raft
aboard, and Aggie was leaning over the edge untying the painter,--not a
man, but a rope,--when unexpectedly the engine started at the first
revolution of the wheel.

It darted out to the length of the rope, where it was checked abruptly,
the shock throwing Aggie entirely out and into the stream. Tish caught
the knife from the supper tray to cut us loose, and while Tish cut I
pulled Aggie in, wet as she was. The boat was straining and panting,
and, on being released, it sprang forward like a dog unleashed.

Aggie had swallowed a great deal of water and was most disagreeable; but
the Mebbe was going remarkably well, and there seemed to be every
prospect that we should get back to the camp in good order. Alas, for
human hopes! Mr. McDonald was not very agreeable.

"You know," he said as he waited for his supper to float within reach,
"you needn't be so blamed radical about everything you do! If you object
to my hanging round, why not just say so? If I'm too obnoxious I'll
clear out."

"Obnoxious is hardly the word," said Tish. "How long am I to be a
prisoner?"

"I shall send letters off by the first boat."

He caught the raft just then and examined the supper with interest.

"Of course things might be worse," he said; "but it's dirty treatment,
anyhow. And it's darned humiliating. Somebody I know is having a good
time at my expense. It's heartless! That's what it is--heartless!"

Well, we left him, the engine starting nicely and Aggie being wrapped in
a tarpaulin; but about a hundred yards above the island it began to slow
down, and shortly afterward it stopped altogether. As the current caught
us, we luckily threw out the anchor, for the engine refused to start
again. It was then we saw the other canoes.