have to
row him back. Otherwise, his return trip appeared to her as intricate
as some of the puzzles she had heard about crossing streams.

"I'm going to walk into town from your place. I have some errands
there, and will take the ferry back."

Beth quieted down and watched the man. His rowing aroused her
admiration. She wished that some time she could prove as great an
expert as he, and resolved to do her very best to imitate him. She
noted especially, the long swinging strokes that he took. Crossing the
river was little work for him, and the other side was reached in
safety. They drew up alongside the Davenport wharf.

Harvey offered to go up to the house with Beth, and take the blame upon
himself, but she thought that her mother would rather hear of the
adventure from her. So the three occupants of the boat parted company.

Mrs. Davenport had not yet returned when Beth reached the house, but
came soon afterwards. Beth immediately confessed to her every incident
of the day.

"This has taught you a lesson, Beth, without mamma's saying anything,"
Mrs. Davenport said, when the little penitent had finished. "You know
yourself it was very wrong to go without permission, and I do not think
you will ever do such a thing again, will you?"

"Never," answered Beth so earnestly that Mrs. Davenport had full faith
in her promise.

CHAPTER VII

Beth's New Playfellow

Beth could not find Fritz high or low and she was worried about him.

She ran out to the barn to ask January if he had seen anything of her
pet. She found the former inside the barn leaning up against a
partition wall with his eyes shut and his mouth wide open. He was fast
asleep and looked very droll.

Beth could hardly keep from laughing, but she managed to say sternly:

"January, you ought to be working instead of sleeping."

He wakened with a start. A look of conscious guilt overspread his face.

"My eyes were closed, Missy Beth; dat wuz all. I jes' came in and sot
down to comb my hair."

Beth shook her finger at him. "You were snoring."

"Wuz I? Well, I'm powe'ful warm, Missy Beth. Don't yo' tole on me,
an' I'll swah nevah to do so agin."

Beth felt it her duty to lecture him a bit.

"You ought to tell things when you do wrong. I do. January, have you
seen Fritz?"

"Not since dis mornin', Missy Beth. He wuz down by the river watchin'
a great big 'gator."

She looked apprehensive. "January, do 'gators ever eat d