garbed
in their practical scout uniforms and armed with fishing rods and a
lunch box, started off in time to take the River Queen on its first trip
of the afternoon. A few other passengers embarked with the girls; a
mother with a small son and daughter, two business men, and the boy with
supplies for the island fruit stand.

This number seemed to satisfy the captain who, after counting heads,
started off. Across the river, then into the bay that widened as it
neared the ocean, the River Queen glided gracefully over to the little
strip of land jutting out, with its clump of deep green pines, and the
ever present picnic sign.

"Isn't this lovely?" exclaimed Louise. "I am so sorry Julia had to go to
the city."

"And that Mary is not down yet," added Cleo, "but we can come again.
It's a perfectly lovely sail."

Landing at the improvised dock the girls quickly found the most secluded
corner of the little grove, and although they had lunched at home, the
sail was a potent appetizer, and the proposed spread was eagerly
arranged.

It was very quiet on the strip of sand selected by the little party.
Like a narrow ribbon the Point lay on the waters, and the deeper
woodlands were evidently unpopular and little traversed, for not even a
path greeted the scouts in their rambles.

"I wonder why the place is called Weasle Point?" questioned Cleo. "Are
we supposed to hunt weasels out here?"

"I don't even know what the beast looks like," replied Grace. "Are they
bearish or wolfish?"

"Neither, they are little snappy things that eat birds," said Louise.
"I've heard daddy tell of them--he's quite a hunter, you know. But I
don't fancy we will be attacked."

They had disposed of their lunch, and were exploring. All sorts of odd
growing things were discovered, from the almost invisible wintergreen,
that hugs the earth as if fearful of standing alone, to the wide
spreading sweet fern, that lords it over every other green thing under
the trees.

More than once shouts of "Snake!" were sent up, and each time this
proved to be a false alarm, or the snake must have made good its escape,
for no horrible crawling reptile came to view, in spite of the most
desperate thrashing of bushes, and beating of brush, following each
alarm.

"Oh, see here!" called Louise, who had wandered some distance from her
companions. "Here is the dearest little dove, eating our lunch crumbs.
He carried them out here to safety."

Quietly the girls stole