d the bend. Were you ever up here before, Frank?"

"I have been to Oaklawn, which is about four miles from Rippleton. Of
course I never came up the river."

"Wouldn't it be fine if we could get up to Oaklawn?"

"Perhaps we can."

"This is smooth work," continued Frank. "Can't we give a little variety
to the excursion?"

"What?"

"Hoist the yellow, signalman," replied the commodore. "We will pull a
while in sections of two, and sing some songs."

Obedient to the signal, the boats of the fleet came into the order
prescribed, and the boys waked up the hills and the woods with the
earnestness of their song. It was a beautiful and cheering sight to see
them gliding over the clear waters, while their voices mingled with
those of the songsters which nature had given to the hillside and the
forest. Their hearts were glad, and in beautiful unison with the scene
around them.

"Rapids!" exclaimed Frank, when the boat reached the bend. "Up with the
blue!"

"Steady!" added Charles. "Pull slowly."

"Tony has been very busy," continued Frank, pointing to the buoys, that
speckled the waters. I am afraid the cruise is about up."

"Tony has passed the rapids. You know steamboats go down the rapids on
the St. Lawrence River."

"Ah, there is Oaklawn," said Frank, pointing to the spire of a church in
the distance. "We cannot go much farther, I know."

"We have made nearly four miles."

What the commodore had styled "rapids" were not a very formidable
difficulty. Near one bank was a ledge of rocks, over which the waters
dashed with considerable energy; but though there was the same descent
on the other side, no obstruction appeared to check them from attempting
the passage. Tony had accomplished it, and had left no warning to deter
them.

"Shall we go through, Frank?"

"Ay; bend on sharp, and she will leap up like a fawn. Now for it!"

The Zephyrs applied all their strength to the oars, and the boat darted
up the rapids with no other detriment than taking in two or three
pailfuls of water.

The rest of the fleet followed, with the exception of the Lily, without
accident; and she, not having sufficient headway, was carried down
again. By the skill of her coxswain, however, she was saved from damage,
and her second attempt was successful.

The navigation was again tolerably safe, and for half a mile they
proceeded on their way without interruption.

"There's a bridge," said Charles, pointing ahead.

"And there is t