he dam. I intend to fix it as soon as the water
goes down a little."

"I don't want to go through any more such places," said Nugget. "I
suppose that apron was what kept the water out. I shipped a little bit,
though I didn't know it until this morning, when I found my clothes all
wet. My extra suit is in your canoe, Randy. I had dry shirts, though.
Say, wouldn't I look nice marching down Fifth Avenue in this rig?"

The boys laughed at the idea, and then drew their chairs away from the
table, and chatted for half an hour with the miller, relating all that
had happened on the previous night, and telling him of their proposed
trip to the Susquehanna. He, in turn, gave them much interesting
information about the creek, where to camp and where to fish.

Ten o'clock came before any one realized it, and the boys prepared to
depart, in spite of their host's earnest invitation to stay for a day or
two. Nugget changed his clothes, and started for the inlet with the
miller, while the others embarked in their canoes, after thanking the
miller's wife for her hospitality.

The inlet was half a mile down the creek. The boys reached there first,
and were joined by the others two or three minutes later.

Fortunately Nugget's paddle was not lost. He had found it stranded along
the shore while on his way to the mill that morning.

The boys lingered a moment to shake hands with their kind hearted
friend, and thank him for his services.

"That's all right," said the miller, "only too glad to oblige you. Be
sure and stop when you pass here again. My name is John Kling."

"We'll spend a week with you next time," returned Ned, as he grasped his
paddle.

"Please have the dam mended before then," drawled Nugget.

The miller laughed and waved his hand, and amid a chorus of "good-byes"
the Jolly Rovers paddled away from shore. The shadow of misfortune was
forgotten, and the future was full of bright anticipations, as before.

The birds sang among the leaves, the fish leaped in the ripples, and
the sunlight danced on the blue water.

The little island, where the boys had spent such a wretched night, was
soon far behind, and they entered upon a more beautiful stretch of
country than they had yet seen. The water was very sluggish, and on each
side were great hills densely covered with pine and spruce trees.

The temptations to stop were so frequent that by mid-afternoon the boys
were scarcely five miles from the mill--that is to say by