We'll send our good canoe
Along that highway, too,
And follow where the moonlight gleams."
Around the cliff which jutted out just beyond the camp there
appeared two canoes, containing four more of the Winnebagos,
making all speed ahead, the girls singing in time to the dipping
of their paddles. Sahwah curved her hands around her mouth and
set forth a long, yodling hail, which was answered in kind by the
paddlers. Then the four girls in the boats, speaking all
together as with one voice, called to Sahwah, "J-U-D-G-E T-H-E
F-I-N-I-S-H! W-E-'-R-E R-A-C-I-N-G!"
Sahwah waved her arm as a signal that she understood, and then
stood motionless, her eyes fixed on the shadow of the springboard
on the water, watching to see which canoe would cross it first.
In a few moments the slender green craft bearing Nyoda and
Medmangi shot into view beneath her, the two paddlers shouting
triumphantly. Scarcely a canoe-length behind came the other
pair. Choosing the instant when the second canoe was directly
beneath her, Sahwah jumped from the springboard and landed neatly
in the bow, upsetting the craft and dumping the girls into the
lake. The other girls in the first canoe, just ahead, turned to
see what was happening, and in their laughter over the upset
forgot to hold their own boat steady, and presently there was a
second spill. Sahwah came up choking with laughter, and was
immediately ducked under again by Nakwisi and Chapa, the two she
had dropped in upon. The water flew in all directions, and
Migwan fled over the rocks to avoid being drenched. Medmangi and
Nyoda also came up thirsting for vengeance, but Sahwah escaped by
swimming under water around the dock and clambering out on the
rocks. She made an impish grimace at Migwan, who was standing on
the rock where she came up. Migwan leaned over and put a streak
of soap on her face, Sahwah promptly caught Migwan by the feet
and pulled her off the rock into the water. Struggling, they
both went under and came up choking and giggling. Hinpoha, from
her airy perch in the tree, cheered the combatants on. "Good
work, Migwan, hang on to the rock! That's the stuff, Sahwah,
pull her off!"
Meanwhile, the four racers, at Nyoda's suggestion, had towed
their canoes out some distance from the dock and were trying to
right them and climb in. This was easier said than done, for as
fast as they splashed the water out on one side it ran in at the
other. Nyoda and Me
|