nted, going over however now to bring his own wisdom to bear on Sam's
causes of trouble. "Whatever possessed ye boy, with the end of the chair
in your hand?"

"I see a sarpent--" said Sam submissively.

"A sarpent!" echoed Logan--"it's not your pairt to be frighted if you
see a sarpent. What hurt would the sight of the brute do ye? There's no
harm come to ye, boy, but the start."

"I can't move it--" repeated Sam under his breath.

"Logan, perhaps he has sprained his ankle," said Daisy from her chair;
where at first she had been pretty well frightened.

"Weel--I don't see it," replied Logan slowly and unbelievingly.

"How does it feel, Sam?" Daisy asked.

"It don't feel without I stir it, Miss Daisy--and then, it's like a
knife."

"He has sprained it, I am afraid, Logan," said Daisy getting out of her
chair and coming to the consultation. "I think it is swelling now."

Sam had bared his unfortunate ankle, Logan looked up from it to the
little speaker whose words were so quietly wise, with unspoken
admiration.

"Can't ye walk then, Sam?" he urged. "Here is Miss Daisy in the middle
of the road and wanting to be at the Lake--and how much farther it may
be to the Lake is a subject unknown to me. Can't ye bear your foot
surely?"

Sam's reply was sorrowful but decided; he could not bear it at all, with
any weight upon it.

"Never mind, Logan," said Daisy; "I can wait. You had better go forward
and see if you can find the boys. They can take care of me."

Logan felt the justness of this proposition, and at once put his long
legs in swift motion to overtake the advance party; exercising a good
strong voice too presently in hallooing to them. Daisy was left with
Sam. The thought crossed her mind that this was getting to be an odd
party of pleasure; but her real concern was for the sprained ankle.
That, she was very sorry for. Her own delay and disappointment she took
patiently.

Logan's halloos brought the boys to a stand. They waited till he came up
to them, not deeming it necessary on their part to go back to see what
was the matter. When they heard his news there was a disagreeable pause.
What was to be done?

"Daisy can walk the rest of the way," was the decision of her brother.

"How far is it?" said Preston.

"I don't know!--it's no great things of a walk anyhow. Girls are always
getting into trouble!"

"But what has got to be done with Sam?" said Preston.

"He can take care of himself," said Sam's