to camp with three ducks which she had shot, and promised her
charges that they should have stuffed roast duck for supper.

That afternoon Grace tried the canoe. She got one spill and was soaked
to the skin, but crawled back to shore laughing at her mishap, and
essayed another attempt.

"I thought my canoe was cranky, but this beats everything," she called
to her companions as she again floated out on the stream in the bark
canoe. The Overland girl practiced for half an hour, during which she
got the hang of the cranky bark canoe and did very well paddling it.

"Let me try it," begged Emma.

"You will not," objected Hippy. "Think I want to plunge into that cold
water and rescue you?"

"Do you think I am simple enough to fall in?" demanded Emma indignantly.

"Yes, and as often as I could pull you out. Then again, you would lose
yourself listening to the voices of nature and get into a fine, wet
mess. That nature stuff makes me weary."

Emma did not paddle the canoe that day, nor did any of the others
express a desire to do so. They saw no more of the Indian that day, and
that night the girls spread their blankets in the tepee.

"We must have a fire in here for the sake of cheerfulness," urged Anne.

"Yes. And burn ourselves up," objected Emma.

"There should be no danger unless we roll into the fire in our sleep,"
answered Miss Briggs.

A small fire was kindled in the tepee, and, for a long time after they
had gone in for the night, the Overland girls sat with feet doubled
under them, enjoying the novel sensation of having for their use a real
Indian tepee, and listening to Joe Shafto relate some of her experiences
in the Big North Woods.

The conversation was interrupted by Henry who poked his nose into the
tepee and sniffed the air inquisitively. A slight tap on his nose by the
guide sent the bear scampering away. After a hearty laugh at Henry's
expense, the girls rolled up in their blankets and went to sleep not to
awaken again until sunrise, when they were jolted out of their dreams by
a loud halloo.

CHAPTER XVIII

THE TRAIL OF THE PIRATES

"Tom's here!" shouted Grace. "All right, Tom. We will be out as soon as
we can find our way out of this roundhouse," she laughed, feeling for
the opening that, in the subdued light, looked like all the rest of the
tepee wall.

Tom was bronzed and happy, and after greeting the girls he inquired for
Henry and Hindenburg.

"The bear's out lookin' for hi