determination. Once or twice
an oar slipped from the rowlock and she nearly went over backward, and
several times one of the blades got under the water with the flat side up,
so that she had difficulty in getting it out. She raised her oars much too
high in the air, but she counterbalanced this by sinking them very deep
into the water. But she got on, and although her course was somewhat
irregular, its general trend was in the direction desired.

The bishop walked along the bank, keeping as near to the water as he
could. Sometimes masses of shrubbery shut off all view of the lake, and
then there would be an open space where he would stop and watch the boat.

"Please keep near the shore, Miss Dearborn," he called, "that will be
better, I think, and it is certainly more shady and pleasant than farther
out."

"I know what you mean," cried Margery, pulling away in high good-humor,
"you think it is safer near the shore; but I am not going to row very far
this time, and after a little while I may pull the boat in and rest for a
time before starting back," and then she rowed on with renewed energy.

The next time the bishop was able to hail the boat, it was at a point
where he was obliged to push his way through the bushes in order to see
out upon the lake.

"Miss Dearborn," he called, "I think you are a great deal too far from
shore, and you must be getting very tired and hot. Your face is greatly
flushed. I will hurry along and see if I can find a good place for you to
stop and cool yourself."

"I am all right," cried Margery, resting on her oars. "I get along very
well, only the boat doesn't steer properly. I think it is because of the
weight of that stick in the bow. I suppose I cannot get rid of it?"

"Oh no!" cried the bishop, in alarm; "please don't think of it! But if you
touch shore at the first open space, I think I can arrange it better for
you."

"Very good," said she; "you go ahead and find such a place, and I will
come in."

"If you touch shore," said the bishop to himself, "you don't go out again
in that boat alone! You don't know how to row at all."

The bishop ran a hundred yards or more before he found a place at which a
boat could be beached. It was not a very good place, but if he could reach
out and seize the bow, that would be enough for him. He was strong enough
to pull that boat over a paved street.

As he looked out over the water he saw that Margery had progressed
considerably since he ha