looked to where she pointed and saw a rowboat drawn up on the
shore.

"If it's got oars in we could row," he said, for both he and his little
sister knew something of handling boats, their father having taught
them.

"Let's go down and look," proposed Flossie. "It isn't raining so hard
now."

The big drops were not, indeed, pelting down quite so fast, but it was
still far from dry.

Getting under the rubber blanket again, the children ran out of the
cabin and toward the boat. They were delighted to find oars in it, and,
seeing that the rowboat was in good shape, Freddie got in.

"Ouch!" he exclaimed as he sat down on a wet seat. "Here, wait a minute
before you sit there, Flossie. I'll put the rubber blanket down to sit
on."

The inside of the rubber blanket was dry, and Freddie put the wet side
down on the wooden seat. This gave the children something more
comfortable to sit on than a wet piece of wood.

"We'll each take an oar and row," proposed Freddie, for he and Flossie
were sitting on the same seat. This was the only way to use the same
rubber blanket.

Loosening the rope by which the boat was made fast to a stump on shore,
Freddie pushed out into the lake. The rain had almost stopped now, and
the children were feeling happier.

"Now we'll row home," announced Freddie.

"Had we better go back and get some of the crackers we left under the
stump?" asked Flossie. "Maybe it's a long way to the fair grounds or to
Meadow Brook Farm, and we might get hungry."

"Oh, I guess we'll soon be home," said Freddie, hopefully. "Come on and
row, Flossie."

Together they rowed the boat out from shore. But they could not make the
heavy craft go very fast. There was water in the bottom, probably from
the rain and perhaps because the boat leaked. But Freddie and Flossie
did not think about this, even though their feet were getting wet. Or,
at least, wetter. Their feet were already wet from having tramped about
in the heavy rain.

"We'll soon be home now," said Freddie again.

They were some little distance out from the shore, two brave but tired
and miserable little sailors, when, all at once, it began to rain again.

"Oh, dear!" cried Flossie, letting go her oar, "I'm getting all soaked
again!"

"Don't you care," advised her brother. "Keep on rowing!"

But Flossie cried, shook her head, and would not pick up the oar.
Freddie could not row the boat alone, and he did not know what to do.
Down pelted the rain, ha