a prince as its possessor.

Steering in the opposite direction, you might go around the Point, and
piercing the recesses of the ever-beautiful arm of the sea, find a
perfect picnic ground at its farthest bend; or, crossing the harbour,
there were lovely spots to be secured on the big, tree-clad island that
well-nigh filled the harbour mouth.

This year it had been decided to hold the picnic at the head of the arm.
The time was August, just when the cool sea-breeze and the balmy breath
of the pines are most grateful to the dwellers in cities. To the number
of four hundred or more, a happy crowd of Sunday-school scholars and
teachers, and their friends gathered upon the broad deck of the clumsy
old _Mic-mac_, an excursion steamer that had done duty on this line for
a generation, at least. Each class had its own banner, as a sort of
rallying point, and these, with the pretty dresses and bright ribbons of
the girls, imparted plenty of colour to the scene, while the boys gave
life to it by being incessantly on the move, and never in one spot for
more than one minute at a time.

Bert and Frank were in the midst of the merry crowd, and in the highest
spirits. They were neither of them by any means indifferent to the
fascination of feminine beauty and grace, and it was easy to secure the
most delightful companionship on board the boat, which they did not fail
to do. Then they had the games and sports to look forward to, after the
picnic ground should be reached, and altogether their cup of happiness
seemed well-nigh brimming over. They little dreamed how ere the day
closed they would both be brought face to face with the deadliest peril
of their lives.

Joyous with music and laughter, the big boat pushed her way onward over
the white-capped waves, past the fort and the gas works, and the long
stretch of the Point road; and then giving the point itself a wide
berth--for the shallows extend far out--around it, and up the winding
arm, with its line of stately homes on one side, and scattered clusters
of white-washed cottages on the other, until almost at its very end, the
landing-place was reached, and the gay passengers gladly deserted the
steamer to seek the cool shelter of the woods.

There was a wonderful amount of happiness crowded into that day. All who
wanted to be useful found plenty of scope for their talents in the
transporting of the provisions, the arranging of the tables, the hanging
of the swings, and the other