ends. Yours hasn’t any lockers, has it?”

They were obliged to admit that the cherished Nyoda carried no lockers.

“You didn’t get much of a war canoe, did you?” said Anthony patronizingly.

“We got the best papa could afford,” replied Gladys mildly.

“Then I guess you’re not very rich, are you?” said Anthony pityingly. “My papa, he’s twice as rich as all of you put together. He’s a judge, and my mother has money in her own right and so have I and so has Antha. And we’ll get more yet when my grandfather dies. I could buy a dozen war canoes if I wanted them, but I don’t want them. I’m going to have a yacht, a steam yacht, so all I have 38 to do is sit on the deck and tell the captain to hustle and put on more speed. That’s the life!”

“It may be the life for you, but not for me,” replied the Captain, throwing stones into the water to relieve his feelings.

Not long after a series of agonized shrieks brought them running from all directions to see Antha racing along the path to the tents in mortal terror, with Sandhelo after her as hard as he could go. She had come across him as he was grazing, and he, seeing a cracker in her hand, had reached out his nose for it, and opened his mouth wide. Thinking he wanted to eat her up, she fled, screaming, while he, still intent on the cracker, followed determinedly. It took an hour’s persuasion, and the combined efforts of all the Winnebagos, to assure her that Sandhelo was not a vicious animal with cannibal tendencies. Even then she would not go within ten feet of him.

Meanwhile, Mr. Evans, showing Judge Dalrymple around the island, came upon the little mineral spring and told him how it had been the means of his coming into possession of the island.

“So that little trickle was all the excuse the famous Minerva Mineral Spring Company had for incorporating and selling stock to the public,” said the judge thoughtfully.

“Yes,” said Mr. Evans, “the whole thing seems to have been a dishonest scheme from the first. But it was handled so cleverly that a great many people 39 were deceived. I was one of the latter, for I lent that company the money to go into business. But, as represented to me, the thing seemed a perfectly good enterprise–they even had signed statements as to the number of bottles the spring would produce yearly. But when the stock had been sold to a large number of unsuspecting people the company suddenly went out of business and then the truth about the spring was discovered. In the lawsuits which followed I was given the island, so I am not so badly off as the people who bought stock and got nothing out of it. I am genuinely sorry for them and feel almost guilty when I think that I furnished the money to start the enterprise, even if I did it in good faith.

“You seem to know a good deal about the case. Do you happen to be acquainted with anyone who lost money in it?”

“I was one of the heaviest stockholders,” said the judge drily.

Mr. Evans whistled.

“But you must not think that I am blaming you for it,” the judge continued hastily, as he saw the distressed look on Mr. Evans’ face. “Besides,” he added, “the service you rendered me by taking my children and myself off the yacht the other day makes me many times your debtor. Let us say no more about the other matter.”

All that day the judge and the junior members 40 of the Tribe watched anxiously for the falling of the wind. The judge was concerned about Mrs. Dalrymple, who had no way of knowing where he and the twins were, and the Winnebagos and Sandwiches had about all they could stand of Antha and Anthony. Besides, the food was getting monotonous. Spaghetti and black coffee again for dinner, which Antha would not eat even though the crackers were gone. But by supper time her hunger got the better of her and she ate spaghetti without a murmur.

“That shows she could have eaten it right away if she wanted to,” whispered Sahwah to Gladys.

That night it thundered and lightninged, and Antha nearly went into hysterics. She hid her head under the bed clothes and wanted them all to do likewise. Katherine snorted with disgust and delivered her mind about people who carried their fears to the verge of silliness. Antha cried some more and the atmosphere in the tent was becoming decidedly damp again when Hinpoha created a diversion by starting a pillow fight.

The next morning the desired change in the wind had come to pass, and the lake was much smoother. With secret sighs of relief the Winnebagos and Sandwiches helped the twins into the launch and waved a heartfelt good-bye.

“I never understood before what they meant by ‘speeding the parting guest,’” said Sahwah, “but 41 now I see it. All speed to the Dalrymple Twins; may they nevermore turn in their track! I never felt that way before, but I just can’t help it!”

And the Winnebagos and Sandwiches privately agreed with her.

CHAPTER III
THE CALYDONIAN HUNT

The last trace of the storm had vanished. The lake lay calm and blue in the morning sunshine, its gentle ripples catching the gleam and turning to gold. The air was clear as crystal and the mainland seemed much nearer than it did under the lowering gray skies of the last few days. Having finished preparations for breakfast, Aunt Clara went down on the beach to watch for the Tribe, who were out practising in the war canoe. They were nowhere in sight. Except for the steamers in the distant harbor of St. Pierre the lake was empty. Aunt Clara adjusted Uncle Teddy’s binoculars to her eyes and coaxed the horizon line some miles nearer to aid her in her search. But the vista was empty of what she sought.

Then she looked around in the other direction at the mainland to the northwest of Ellen’s Isle. As 42 she looked she saw the bushes waving near the shore and then from the tangle of branches there emerged first a pair of antlers, then a head and then a pair of front legs, followed by a dark body, and a large bull moose stood silhouetted against the leafy background. A moment it stood there, calm and deliberate, and then turned and disappeared into the forest.

“Oh, where are the folks?” cried Aunt Clara aloud in her excitement. “What a shame they had to miss it!” She stood a long time looking intently at the spot where the moose had disappeared, but it did not show itself again. As she stood there watching she heard a rhythmic chant coming across the water: