was now, for the first time, momentarily
interrupted by the occurrence to which we have alluded.

At the moment we introduce them the young man was holding his paddle
stationary and gazing off toward his right, where the splash in the
water denoted the fall of the third stone. His face wore an expression
of puzzled surprise, mingled with which was a look of displeasure, as
if he were "put out" at this manifestation. His eyes were fixed with a
keen, searching gaze upon the river-bank, expecting the appearance of
something more.

Teddy also was resting upon his paddle, and scrutinizing the point in
question; but he seemed little affected by what had taken place. His
face was as expressionless as one of the bowlders, save the
ever-present look of imperturbable good-humor.

The young woman seemed more absorbed than either of her companions, in
attempting to divine this mystery that had so suddenly come upon them.
More than once she raised her hand, as an admonition for Teddy to
preserve silence. Finally, however, his impatience got the better of
his obedience, and he broke the oppressive stillness.

"And what does ye make of it, Miss Cora, or Master Harvey?" he asked,
after a few moments, dipping his paddle at the same time in the water.
"Arrah, now, has either of ye saan anything more than the same
bowlders there?"

"No," answered the man, "but we may; keep a bright look-out, Teddy,
and let me know what you see."

The Irishman inclined his head to one side, and closed one eye as if
sighting an invisible gun. Suddenly he exclaimed, with a start:

"I see something now, _sure_ as a Bally-ma-gorrah wake."

"What is it?"

"The sun going down in the west, and tilling us we've no time to
shpare in fooling along here."

"Teddy, don't you remember day before yesterday when we came out of
the Mississippi into this stream, we observed something very similar
to this?"

"An' what if we did, zur? Does ye mane to say that a rock or two can't
git tired of layin' in bed for a thousand years and roll around like a
potaty in a garret whin the floor isn't stiddy?"

"It struck us as so remarkable that we both concluded it must have
been caused _purposely_ by some one."

"Me own opinion was, ye remember, that it was a lot of school-boys
that had run away from their master, and were indulging themselves in
a little shport, or that it was the bears at a shindy, or that it was
something else."

"Ah! Teddy, there are times when j