pierced it with an arrow, to signify that a
letter can do as much harm as an arrow. Every time she passed
that tree she saw the mark and renewed her vow never to write
another letter in anger.

The next mail did carry another letter to her father, but its
composing cost Gladys no pain. It contained an enthusiastic
account of her rescue by Sahwah, and then she went on to tell
what a good time she was having and what wonderful girls the
Winnebagos were. She ended up with the statement that they had
such good "eats" here that she never knew when to stop, and had
already gained five pounds.

She also sent to Portland for a new racket for Sahwah, paying
eight dollars for it. She did not ask her father for the money,
but took the whole amount out of her own allowance. Sahwah was
up now and running around the camp as lively as ever, in spite of
her splinted arm. "Isn't it blessed luck that it's my left one,"
she declared over and over again, "and doesn't interfere much
with what I want to do?" She insisted on taking her morning dip
with the rest of them, although of course she could neither swim
nor dive. She waded out to her waist and with her good hand
managed to splash the water over her chest and head. This
proceeding generally filled her with profound disgust when she
saw the others jumping in with a grand gurgle and splash, but it
was better than staying out of the water altogether.

But the greatest phenomenon in the water just now was the way
Gladys was learning to swim. Thoroughly ashamed of her
backwardness in this matter, she made up her mind once for all
that she was going to overcome her fear of the water and let
herself be helped. Of late the girls had about given up trying
to teach her. She confided her determination to Nyoda and asked
her to be patient with her a little while longer. Nyoda,
overjoyed at this sudden show of spirit, took her under her wing
immediately. Gladys struck out bravely; lost her balance and
went under; came up blind and strangling; blew the water out of
her nose and laughed, and then went at it again. She repeated
the performance more than a dozen times and every time she went
down she came up more determined than ever to master that stroke.
At the end of the swimming hour she had taken six strokes in
succession with Nyoda just barely supporting her. The next day
Nyoda began by holding her up and then when her arms and legs
were working rhythmically slyly withdrew