plored the streets of
white wooden villas and cottages that lay upon that side. She went
thither now. There was no reason why she should not go, no reason to go
elsewhere. It was a pleasant walk. When she had passed the last house,
the bank sloped in open uncared-for grass where cows were grazing. Only
here and there she had seen a house-door open, and as yet in this place
no one was abroad except a boy who was playing idly in a boat, which was
drawn half up on the muddy bank.

The broad river, milk-white under a dappled sky, stretched south and
west. The other side was dim and blue in the faint vapour of the
relaxing frost. The air was sweet and still. The sunbeams, imprisoned in
eastern vapour, shone through the white veil with soft glow that cast no
shadow but comforted the earth with hope.

Susannah had a further thought in her mind now, but she felt no haste or
impatience of excitement.

The boy was of an active, restless disposition or he would hardly have
been out so early. Lithe and idle, he sat see-sawing in the floating
end of the boat, uncertain how to amuse himself. He returned Susannah's
greeting with a lively flow of talk.

"You don't know how to row," said Susannah.

She showed no eagerness, for she felt none. The hope she had just formed
was most uncertain, for it appeared not at all likely that she could
escape in this way without being molested.

"I bet I can row," said the boy, "as well as any man in town."

"That isn't saying much," said Susannah. "The men about here have very
few boats, and they are most of them afraid to go on anything smaller
than the steamer."

"I could row t'other side and back," bragged the boy. "I could row
t'other side and back three times in the day."

"You couldn't."

"I couldn't! What will you bet?"

"I suppose your father wouldn't allow you to go, anyway."

He was a fresh-faced, mischievous, eager young rascal, and he found
Susannah's manner pleasant and provoking.

"Will you lay five dollars on it?" he cried. "Pap is away down to
Quincy. If you'll lay five dollars on it I'll do it."

"But I won't."

The gambling spirit of the young pioneer was aroused.

"What will you lay on it, then?"

"I don't believe you could row once to the other side."

He bragged loudly and with much exaggeration of what he had done and
what he could do, and began pushing off the boat to show her his speed.

The boat was a rude craft, unpainted, flat-bottomed, but light eno