Barwaithe on
board, and then stood over to where Mr. Portney and Randy awaited them.

"That was a providential escape!" were Foster Portney's words, when he
saw that Earl was safe. "I wouldn't have you run such a risk again for a
fortune!"

"And I don't want to run such a risk again," replied Earl, with rather a
sickly smile. He was greatly shaken up, and it was a long while before
he felt like himself. Randy could hardly keep from hugging his brother
because of the escape.

"It was a fool move of ours from the start," said Captain Zoss, speaking
plainly, for the icy bath had not improved his temper. "We should have
packed our outfits along the river and let the boat take care of
herself, with plenty of lines to guide her. I won't stand fer any such
move as that ag'in; not much, eh?"

"You are right, captain," said Foster Portney, gravely. "We'll be more
cautious in the future."

"Yes! yes!" broke in the doctor. "What should we have done had this
young man been killed and all our traps been lost? It would have been
better to have carried boat and all around from one lake to the next."

It was a sober party which went into camp that night on the rather rocky
shore of Lake Bennett, sober and rather out of sorts in the bargain. The
captain insisted on building an immense fire, and while he sat drying
himself by it he found fault with everything which came into view. Later
on the others of the crowd found that the captain got these moods every
once in a while and never meant all he said, but now they did not know
this and it made the two boys, at least, unhappy.

"Might have knowed it," grumbled Captain Zoss, "with two kids along,
instead o' nothing but growed-up men as know their business. The next
time I jine a crowd it will be o' those as has at least voted, eh?"

"I can't agree with you that it was the boys' fault," replied Dr.
Barwaithe. "The line broke, and that started the whole thing."

"Well, boys is boys, and men wouldn't have let sech a thing happen!"
snapped the captain. "See yere, I want my coffee hot!" he roared to
Randy, who was preparing supper. "No lukewarm dishwater fer me, eh?"

"I'll give it to you as hot as the fire will make it; I can't do any
more," was Randy's short answer. He was as much out of sorts as any one.
Then the captain turned to Earl, and found fault with the timber in the
boat; and by the time they sat down to eat, all felt thoroughly put out.

The doctor tried to enliven mat