laced himself at her side.

"Why, you're all tired out," he cried. "You must get in here."

She looked up at him gratefully. She had never realised how welcome a
sympathetic voice could sound. She answered, not the least like the
dauntless Leslie, "I just can't! I can't climb over the bow. It's no
use trying."

Roderick was at his best where any one was in distress. His knightly
young heart prompted him to do the right thing.

"You don't need to," he said gently. "I can take you in over the side.
Here, Fred, come round and help."

Fred came to her, and Roderick slipped down into the bottom of the
canoe. He leaned heavily to the side opposite the girl, and extended
his hand. "Now, you can do it quite easily," he said encouragingly.
"Catch the thwart; there--no, sideways--that's it! Steady, Fred, don't
hurry her. There you are. Now!" She had rolled in somehow over the
side, and sat soaked and heavy, half-laughing and half-tearful, right
at his feet.

"Oh," she said, "I'm making you all wet."

"Well, that's the neatest ever," cried Fred Hamilton in involuntary
admiration.

The work of emptying the other canoe, with the help of such an expert,
was an easy matter. When it was ready Roderick held it while Fred
tumbled in. Stray cushions and paddles, and even an armful of soaking
golden-rod were rescued, and then the two young men looked
involuntarily at the girl.

"Hop over the fence, Leslie!" cried Fred. He was in high good humour
now, for Rod McRae would never tell on a fellow, or chaff him in public
about an upset.

But Leslie Graham shook her head. Something strange had happened, she
had grown very quiet and grave.

"No," she said in a low voice, "I don't want any more adventures
to-night. You'll take me home, won't you--Roderick?" She hesitated
just a moment over the name, but remembering she had called him that at
school, she ventured.

"It would give me the greatest pleasure," he cried cordially. His
diffidence had all vanished, he was master of the situation.

He glanced half-enquiringly at the other young man, to see relief
expressed quite frankly on his face.

"All right, Leslie! Thanks ever so, Rod. I can scoot over to the
boathouse and get some dry togs, before I go home. And say--you won't
say anything about this now, Les, will you?"

The girl's spirits were returning. "Why not?" she asked teasingly.
"It wouldn't be fair to keep such a gallant rescue a secret."

"Oh,