rd the cackling of hens and the grunting of
pigs that assured her she was nearing somebody's farmyard.

"Gee, but I'm glad!" she muttered thankfully. She sat down and laced her
boots neatly, then smoothing her hair and ironing out her rumpled dress
with nimble fingers, she struck off joyfully in the direction of the
sounds. She was approaching the house from the rear and the barn and
out-buildings were soon visible through the trees. She hurried forward
joyfully only to be confronted by that horrible creek flowing once more
between her and her goal.

Chicken Little didn't often lose her temper completely, but this was the
last straw. "Darn," she exclaimed spitefully, "darn you, you old creek,
I'd like to beat you. I won't take my shoes off again! I just won't!"

She scanned the bank carefully to see if she could find any rock or log
to help her out. Nothing available could be seen, but help appeared from
a most unlooked for quarter. A tall, severe-looking man rose from a
rustic seat behind a tree which had hidden him.

"Can I be of any service, Miss?" he asked courteously.

With an awful sinking of the heart she realized this must be Captain
Clarke himself. Oh! and he must have heard her swear. Chicken Little
turned the color of a very ripe strawberry and stared at him in horror.

A faint flicker of amusement lighted the man's face.

"Just wait an instant and I will put a board over for you, if you wish
to cross."

Jane distinctly did not wish to cross this particular moment. She wished
to run home.

"Oh, I--I--please don't go to any trouble, I oughtn't to be here, and
please I didn't mean to swear but--but--Mother would be dreadfully
ashamed of me if she knew."

She was telling the whole truth most unexpectedly to herself. Captain
Clarke surveyed her sharply but his voice seemed kind.

"You must be Dr. Morton's daughter. Did you get lost?"

This was an embarrassing question. Jane looked at him doubtfully before
replying. If she said "yes" she would be telling a lie, and if she said
"no," he would know she came on purpose. She compromised.

"I wanted to see your house awfully," she faltered. "Ernest said it was
most like a ship and I've never seen a ship," a sudden remorseful
thought crept into her mind. "But you mustn't blame Mother; she didn't
know I was coming."

The Captain's eyes lost their severe look--the suspicion of a twinkle
lurked in their blue depths.

"I see, you didn't wish to embarrass M