. There aren't so many
campers up here yet as you might think. A great many of the
cottages were closed. The few people we did talk to had their
plans already made. Don't look so disappointed, Sahwah. If we
were out in the middle of the desert or shipwrecked on a lonely
island there wouldn't be any possibility of an audience, and yet
we would be having a celebration for our own benefit just the
same."

"Of course we would," said Migwan stoutly, "and to tell the
truth, it would never have occurred to me to ask any one else to
our celebration to-morrow. I think it's lovely to have it just by
ourselves."

"I tell you what we'll do," said Hinpoha with a burst of
inspiration, "we'll take turns being the audience. The seating
committee can usher us to our seats between our own performances
and we can pretend that we don't know what is coming."

"You forget that I, for one, don't know what is coming," said
Nyoda, "and will be a very appreciative spectator indeed. Behold
me, ladies, at your service, the Audience!" And Nyoda swept them
a low curtsey, whereupon they fell on her neck with one accord.

Sahwah woke with the dawn the next morning and craned her neck to
look at the weather. To her great disappointment the lake was
covered with a heavy mist and there was no sign of the sun. The
woods looked dark and gloomy. "Rain!" she exclaimed tragically,
and buried her head in the blankets. The clouds were still thick
at breakfast time, although no actual rain had fallen.

The flag raising took place right after breakfast, with due
ceremony. Up went the Stars and Stripes, without a pause, and
just as it reached the top of the pole and yielded its folds to
the breeze the sun broke through the clouds and bathed it in a
golden glory. The girls cheered and burst into a lusty rendition
of the "Star Spangled Banner," after which Migwan's patriotic
poem was recited amid much applause.

Then began the water sports, which opened with canoe races. The
four who were not in this took their seats on the shore, being
placed by Nyoda with great formality, and passed Nakwisi's
spy-glass from hand to hand. Hinpoha and Nakwisi, and Sahwah and
Migwan were partners in the races. First they raced for
distance, paddling around the nearest island and coming back to
the dock. Hinpoha and Nakwisi came out ahead, because Migwan,
who was paddling stem in her canoe, lost time steering around the
island. Then came an obstacle race, i