thermos bottle," called Sahwah, who had run out after the
two. Ever since Slim had taken the thermos bottle full of hot chocolate
with him the time they went on the snowshoe hike, he had never been
allowed to forget it. Wherever Slim went that thermos bottle was taken
along for his benefit. The Captain had even taken it along to a school
party and gravely handed it to Slim when he was trying to appear
especially dignified in the presence of a stately young lady. This time
Slim caught the Captain and downed him at the head of the path and they
struggled for its possession while the onlookers held their breath for
fear they would both roll down the hill. Slim finally got it away from
the Captain, and succeeded in hiding it where it could not be found in
time to take along.

"What's going to be the order of procession?" asked Aunt Clara when they
had finally got all their impedimenta down on the dock.

"You and Uncle Teddy will be in the first canoe," said Katherine. Since
she and the Captain were the Chiefs they had the right to be commanders
of the trip, but they willingly agreed to let Uncle Teddy have that
responsibility, as he was able to engineer a canoe party and they were
not.

"Let Katherine and the Captain go in the canoe with you," suggested Mr.
Evans. "Then they can pretend they are commanding the expedition." Mr.
and Mrs. Evans were not going on this trip.

"No," said Uncle Teddy, "I would rather have my first aids in the last
boat. Then they can watch the whole line of canoes ahead of them and see
that everything is all right."

So Katherine and the Captain had the place of honor at the tail of the
line.

When they were nearly ready to start, Katherine, who had returned to the
tents for something, came toiling down the hill, carrying in her arms
the stiff figure of Eeny-Meeny. "We can't go without our mascot," she
said. "Didn't the old Greeks and Romans carry their household gods with
them, and didn't the Indians take their 'Medicine' along on all their
journeys? As fourth assistant sub-head of this expedition I use my
authority to declare that she shall be taken along. There is one canoe
left and we can tie that behind mine and tow her. Mayn't we, Uncle
Teddy?"

"You're the Chief this week," said Uncle Teddy, throwing up his hands in
a helpless gesture. "You have the right to say whether she shall go or
not. If you agree to tow her yourself I certainly have no objections to
her going along. But rem