ped Sue.

Before Bunny could answer, Tom's head appeared above the muddy water. He
had hold of the pond lily.

"I'm all right," he said. "I stepped on the edge of a hole under the
water, and it was so slippery I went down in before I knew it. But the
deepest part is only over my waist, and now that I'm wet I might as well
stay and get all the lilies you wish."

"Oh, that's too bad!" cried Sue.

"Not at all," said Tom. "I like it. Afterward I'll take a swim in the
clean part of the lake and wash off."

So, wet and muddy as he was, his clothes covered with slime from the
bottom of the creek, Tom kept on gathering the lilies. Once he found a
mud turtle which he tossed into the boat for Bunny. The turtle seemed to
go to sleep in a corner.

"There's a nice bunch for you," said Tom, coming back to the boat with
the flowers for the little girl.

"Oh, thank you, so much!" said Sue. "But I'm sorry you got wet."

"I'm not. These clothes needed washing anyhow," laughed Tom.

With that Tom pushed the boat off the mud bar, and down the creek into
deeper water, the children sitting on the seats.

"Now I'll tie you to shore, go in swimming in this clean water, and row
you home after I've dried out a bit," said Tom. So he went in swimming
with all his clothes on, except his shoes and socks, and soon he was
clean.

"Mother will be so glad to get the pond lilies," said Sue.

"And I guess she'll be glad to get my fish," said Bunny. "There's 'most
enough for dinner."

Tom was nearly dry when he reached home, and no one said anything about
his wet clothes.

"Oh, what lovely flowers!" exclaimed Mrs. Brown. "And what fine fish.
Did you catch them all alone, Bunny?"

"Yes'm, Momsie! Both of 'em. Where's Daddy?"

"Oh, off seeing some men. I believe there's to be a meeting at our camp
to-night to talk about your friend Tom and Mr. Bixby."

"I hope they don't send Tom back," said Bunny. "He knows everything
about this lake."

After supper several men came to Camp Rest-a-While. They were some of
the county officers. Eagle Feather and some of the Indians were
present, sitting by themselves, and Mr. Brown sat near Tom.

"May we stay and see what happens, Mother?" asked Bunny.

"I guess so. I don't know just what is going on, but I think your father
is going to try to arrange matters so Tom will not have to go back to
the hermit's to live."

"Hurray!" cried Bunny. "And while daddy is talking, I hope he'll ask
everybody if