's name again, sure."

But Prudence had tethered her horse and set off on her quest. Alice,
left alone, secured her horse and proceeded to disgorge the contents
of her saddle-bags, and also those on her friend's saddle. This done,
she stepped down to the water's edge, and, pushing the reedy
vegetation on one side, filled the kettle. As she rose from her task
she looked out down the wide inlet. The view was an enchanting one.
The wooded banks opposite her rose abruptly from the water,
overshadowing it, and throwing a black reflection upon its still
surface. There was not a breath of air stirring; the world seemed
wondrously still.

Away to the left the water widened out, and was overhung by a haze of
heat. She was about to turn away when, from out of the distance, there
appeared another long boat. Instantly the girl was all attention. This
boat was not travelling in the same direction as were those they had
first seen, but was making for the point where the others had
appeared. She had a much better view down here at the bank of anything
moving on the lake than from the higher land, and she could not help
being struck by the fact that, whoever the occupants of the strange
craft, they were not Indians. One man was standing in the stern
steering the boat by the aid of a long paddle, and this man was garbed
in white-man's attire. The distance she was away from the object of
her curiosity prevented her distinguishing the features of these
people of the lake; but that which was apparent to her was the fact
that they were not fishermen, nor was their boat a fishing-boat. It
was long, and built with the narrowness of a rice-lake canoe, and so
low in the water that its gunwale looked to be within an inch of the
glassy surface.

So intent was the girl upon this strange appearance that she did not
notice Prudence's return, and as the strange craft disappeared within
the undergrowth of the opposite shore, she turned with a start at the
sound of her friend's voice beside her.

"Another boat," asked Prudence, "or the one we saw before?"

"Another."

There was a silence; then the two turned away and prepared their
dinner.

They pitched their camp in the shade, and the meal was quickly
prepared. The smoke from their fire helped to keep off the few late
summer mosquitoes that hummed drowsily upon the sultry air. Everything
was wonderfully peaceful and sleepy about their little encampment. Not
a leaf stirred or a bough creaked;