t come into her thoughts, and in a few moments the boat was
in deep water and moving with the current downstream.

On each side of the river the woods grew down to the shore, and now and
then the wide branches of overhanging trees stretched for some distance
over the stream. A blue heron rose from the river, making its loud call
that drowned Anna's voice as she cried: "Father! Father!" Even had Mr.
Weston been near at hand he could hardly have distinguished Anna's
voice. But Anna was now too far downstream for any call to reach her
father or Rebby and Paul, who were all anxiously searching for her.

At first the little girl was not at all frightened. The river ran to
Machias, and, had it not been that she was sure her father and sister
would be worried and sadly troubled by her disappearance, Anna would
have thought it a fine adventure to go sailing down the stream with her
captured rabbit. Even as it was, she had a gleeful thought of Luretta's
surprise and of Melvina's admiration when she should tell them the
story.

She soon discovered that the boat leaked, and, holding the rabbit
tightly in one hand, she took off her round cap and began to bail out
the water, which had now risen to her ankles. Very soon the little cap
was soggy and dripping; and now Anna began to wonder how long the leaky
little craft could keep afloat.

Both Anna and Rebby could swim; their father had taught them when they
were very little girls, and Anna knew that if she would leave the rabbit
to drown that she could reach the shore safely; but this seemed hardly
to be thought of. She now resolved to clutch at the first branch within
reach, hoping in that way to scramble to safety with Trit. But the boat
was being carried steadily along by the current, although the water came
in constantly about her feet.

"I mustn't get frightened," Anna said aloud, remembering how often her
father had told her that to be afraid was to lose the battle.

The boat swayed a little, and then Anna found that the board seat was
wabbling.

"I never thought of the seat," she whispered, slipping down to her knees
and pulling the seat from the loose support on which it rested. It was
hard work to use the board as a paddle with only one hand, but Anna was
strong and resolute, and managed to swing the boat a little toward the
shore, so when a turn of the river came, bringing the boat close toward
a little point of land, she quickly realized that this was her
opportuni