Migwan, amid the
general laughter.

"Such a peaceful day," said Hinpoha.

Nobody was hurt by the fall, as the sand was soft and the last landing
had been in the water, and, as they had all been so frightened at the
Captain's adventure a moment before, they became hysterical in their
laughter over this last ridiculous accident.

"That soft sand track down the hillside looks as if it would make a fine
toboggan," remarked the Captain. "Believe I'll try coasting down into
the lake."

And, suiting the action to the word, he climbed the hill and slid down
the sandy cut, landing with a fine splash. The others immediately
swarmed up the hill to try the new sport, which was as good as the
chute-the-chutes at the big amusement park at home.

That was the sight which greeted Sahwah when she came back with Mr.
Evans from St. Pierre, bringing the mail. She was sitting out on the
very peak of the launch's bow, her feet almost dragging the water,
waving the packet of home letters over her head. At the sight of her
there was a general scattering in the direction of the tents, for the
sliders suddenly remembered that it was dinner time and the mail would
be distributed at the table.

That night was Council Meeting on the big rock on the bluff. It was the
end of Uncle Teddy's and Aunt Clara's Chiefhood, and the reins of
government were to fall into the hands of Mr. and Mrs. Evans. After much
beating of the tom-tom, Uncle Teddy presented Mr. Evans with a pine
branch and Aunt Clara gave Mrs. Evans one, to hang over the door of
their tents as a symbol of Chiefhood, "because pine was the _chief_
thing to be found on Ellen's Isle." Mr. and Mrs. Evans accepted the
branches gravely, and took their places at the end of the rock reserved
for the Chiefs.

Then Mr. Evans announced that there was something special to be brought
before the Council. He held a letter in his hand and the giggles and
whispers came to an abrupt end, and all eyes were turned inquiringly
toward him.

"It is the power and the pleasure of this Council," he began in a
businesslike tone, "to decide all questions regarding the life here at
camp. Something has come up now which will require a frank expression
of opinion from each one in order to reach a decision. I have here,"
indicating the sheet in his hand, "a letter from our recent acquaintance,
Judge Dalrymple. The judge thanks us profusely for our entertainment of
him and his children, and does us the honor to s