wholly displeasing to her. I may
be mistaken--"

"I think you are, Smith."

"Why?"

"Because--well, because I seem to think so."

I said coldly:

"Because she happened to faint away in your arms last night is no symptom
that she prefers you. Is it?"

"No."

"Then why do you seem to think that tactful, delicate, and assiduous
attentions on my part may prove not entirely unwelcome to this unusually
intelligent--"

"Smith!"

"What?"

"Miss White is not only a trained nurse, but she also is about to receive
her diploma as a physician."

"How do you know?"

"She told me."

"When?"

"When you were building the fire last night. Also, she informed me that
she had relentlessly dedicated herself to a eugenic marriage."

"When did she tell you _that_?"

"While you were bringing in a bucket of water from the lake last night.
And furthermore, she told me that _I_ was perfectly suited for a eugenic
marriage."

"_When_ did she tell you _that_?" I demanded.

"When she had--fainted--in my arms."

"How the devil did she come to say a thing like that?"

He became conspicuously red about the ears:

"Well, I had just told her that I had fallen in love with her--"

"Damn!" I said. And that's all I said; and seizing a paddle I made
furiously for shore. Behind me I heard the whirr of the piano wire as
Brown started the electric reel. Later I heard him clamping the hood on
the hydroscope; but I was too disgusted for any further words, and I dug
away at the water with my paddle.

In various and weird stages of morning deshabille the heavy artillery
came down to the shore for morning ablutions, all a-row like a file of
ducks.

They glared at me as I leaped ashore:

"I want my breakfast!" snapped Mrs. Batt. "Do you hear what I say, guide?
And I don't wish to be kept waiting for it either! I desire to get out of
this place as soon as possible."

"I'm sorry," I said, "but I intend to stay here for some time."

"What!" bawled the heavy artillery in booming unison.

But my temper had been sorely tried, and I was in a mood to tell the
truth and make short work of it, too.

"Ladies," I said, "I'll not mince matters. Mr. Brown and I are not
guides; we are scientists from Bronx Park, and we don't know a bally
thing about this wilderness we're in!"

"Swindler!" shouted Mrs. Batt, in an enraged voice. "I knew very well
that the United States Government would never have named that puddle of
water after _me_!"

"