it was still warm, for the June
afternoon lingers long and far into the evening. Then they fell to
eating strawberries again, for make-believe tea where everything is
water and sand is not very satisfactory. After the strawberrying they
came back to the shore again, and little Bo, now quite disheartened
began to make a noise which sounded a little like crying, it was a
whimper; but Yulee was brave and kept her courage up, and began telling
Bo stories which she had read about people who had been cast away upon
islands; but somehow or other she always seemed to remember best the
parts where they were attacked by savages and wild beasts, and
especially by her favourite hippopotamus. So that Bo only grew more
terrified and as it became darker began to fancy he heard animals
around them, and once actually thought he saw a great hippopotamus with
open jaws coming out of Clearwater toward them. Yulee tried to read "The
Castaways," but it soon became too dark. Yet she wouldn't give in to
fear, but kept her courage stoutly.

"Bo," said she, "it's getting dark and I think it must be time to put
Miss Phely to bed."

"I want to go to bed," said Bo. "I want to go to mother!" and little Bo
cried now without any doubt. Yulee bravely kept back her tears and tried
to comfort Bo, who soon began to take an interest in the unrobing of
Miss Phely, who was put to bed on a very uncomfortable rock--the very
one in fact at which she had sat for her tea; but it made no difference
to her; she went to sleep with her eyes as wide open as ever.

When this was over, Yulee, never at a loss, began to sing for Bo's
amusement and her own comfort. She sang all the songs she knew just as
they came into her head. "There is a happy land," "Three little
kittens." "Pop goes the weasel," "The sunday-school," and some others
which I have forgotten. Would you believe it? Bo fell fast asleep with
his head in her lap. Then Yulee felt less badly; before she had been
troubled about Bo, but now that he was asleep, leaning so upon her, she
felt a courage at having one depending upon her whom she must never
desert, no, not even if a hippopotamus, as she said, were to come toward
them.

But no hippopotamus came; instead of that, she saw a boat with a light
twinkling in it, come rowing down the lake toward the island. The house
and the boat-landing could not be seen from the island, because as I
said, there was a point of land jutting out, and because the lake too
m