s in the world,
locked her oars across the boat and sat up in her seat with a jerk that
rocked the little craft.

"Girls, I have thought it all out!" she exclaimed. "I have the most
glorious, the most splendid plan you ever heard of in the world! Just
wait until you hear it!"

"Madge," Phil called in horror, "do sit down!" The boat was careening
perilously. Before Phil could finish her speech Madge had tumbled over
the side of the skiff and disappeared in the water below.

The girls waited for their friend to rise to the surface. They were
not frightened, for Madge was an expert swimmer.

"I am surprised at Madge," declared Phil severely. "The idea of
plunging into the water in that fashion, not to mention almost
capsizing our boat! Why doesn't she come up?"

The second lengthened to a minute. Still Madge's curly head did not
appear on the surface of the water. Eleanor's face turned white.
Madge had on her rowing costume, a short skirt and a sailor blouse.
She could easily swim in such a suit. But perhaps she had been seized
with a cramp, or her head might have struck against a rock at the
bottom of the river!

Lillian and Phil shared Eleanor's anxiety. "Sit still, girls," said
Phyllis. "I must dive and see what has happened to Madge. If you are
quiet, I can dive out of the boat without upsetting it."

Phil slipped out of her sweater. But Eleanor caught at her skirts from
behind. "Sit down, Phil. Here comes that wretched Madge, swimming
toward us from over there. She purposely stayed under water."

The three friends looked in the direction, indicated by Phyllis. They
saw Madge moving toward the boat as calmly as though she had been in
her bathing suit and had dived off the skiff for pure pleasure. She
had been swimming under the water for a little distance and had risen
at a spot at which her friends were not looking. As she lifted her
head clear of the water a ray of the afternoon sunlight slanted across
her face, touching its mischievous curves, until she looked like a
naughty water-sprite.

In an instant Madge's hands were alongside the boat, and Phil pulled
her into it. "I am so sorry, girls," she explained, shaking the water.
out of her hair; "but I had such a wonderful idea that it really
knocked me overboard. I was afraid I would throw you all into the
river, so I jumped. But don't you want to know my plan? We are going
to spend the summer on the water!"

"In the water, you me