er
than everybody else, don't you? Go on!"

Marian jumped on to the raft, and seized the pole with an exceedingly
high and mighty air; she gave a push off as an example of the graceful
manner in which it ought to be done, but alas! she had not taken into
account the fact that the raft was not balanced with the weight of
the other children, and, stepping too much to one side, she found it
suddenly tilted over, and deposited her in the pond. The water was
only a foot deep so close to the edge, but by the time she had
scrambled out her boots and stockings were wet through, and covered
with mud. The rest of the girls subsided on to the bank in peals of
laughter.

"If that's your way, I'd rather not try it, thank you!" said Nina.

"And you've broken the pole, too!" said Connie.

"Oh, catch the raft, somebody!" exclaimed Linda. "Look! It's drifting
right away, and we shan't be able to go on it."

Unluckily the raft was by this time well out of reach, and nobody was
able to fetch it back, much to the disappointment of those who had not
yet had a chance to try it. Marian was very offended at what she
considered the ill-timed mirth of her companions.

"You're most unkind!" she said angrily, walking away by herself and
trying to wipe her boots clean on the grass.

Feeling that they had had the best of the joke, the girls bore no
malice, and, after leaving her for a few minutes to get over her
sulks, they made overtures of friendship.

"I'll tell you what," said Linda; "I found a box of wax matches in the
road on the way up, and put them in my pocket. Suppose we set a light
to this little gorse bush; it's all withered, and will make quite a
bonfire. Then Marian can dry her boots."

The bush caught fire with the greatest ease, and blazed away at once.
Marian pulled off her boots and stockings, and, standing barefoot on
the grass, held them up to the flame, while the others collected
round, wishing they had some chestnuts or potatoes with them, or a
kettle which could be boiled for tea.

"I believe the grass is beginning to burn too!" said Nina. "Stand
back, Connie! Why, it's caught the next bush as well!"

The children looked at each other with horrified faces. The fire was
spreading rapidly along the ground, and two large bushes were soon in
a blaze. Their modest beginning was evidently leading to more than
they had ever imagined. Fortunately the white column of smoke suddenly
rising up through the clear air attracte