Show FOlir Boys and a BaaL I II My brother Joe and I were hoeing corn on our fathers 11 farm one hot Juno day when George Hare and Lewis Hyde came up the dusty rbad and invited us to go for a boat ride i Boat ride Gway There Isnt a boat between here I and FarmiiiKton oxcept one I Wolf thats the one we have said Lewis Your Uncle Wills 1 i Yes he nnd my aunt came up with it They are going c to stay until Monday and ho says we can have the boat I this afternoon All right I said We are on our last row Father i said we could have the rest of the day to burselves as Sooii ns we sot thin field done Wheierf the boat 7 f Well wait fdr 0 t 1 there I Right Over by the ferry you In about fifteen minutes we hid our hoes In the long crass by the fence nnd hurried to the rlvcr None of us Ii was acduplomed to rowing but there was little rowing to be done Our course was ddWn 1 stream With a steady current The rowing would come In on our way home iii Floating down the river that bright JUne day was delightful l de-lightful 1 A soft breeze made little ripples oh the water ve went along at fair speed taking the oars by turns or leanIng I lean-Ing over the edge of the boat tb trail our fingers In the cleat cC cool water We whistled and sang nnd shouted to boys if j I we now and then saw on the river bank no matter whether 1 1 we knew them or not I I t On we fionlcd past meadows and orchards reaching down to the rivers edge past bits of woodland and fields ii of young corn that moved lightly In tho breeze and shone In the sun At tho sight of an old mill on the bank Lew I Isl said I Why we are five miles front home Thats the old McCormick 1 i Mc-Cormick mill mid It Is Just five miles from our ferry Wed I better go back pretty soon It will take a great deal longer to ro back than it i took to come don the stream I know that said Joe but Its early yet and theres II i 110 hurry about our getting home Just so we get there in time to do up the chores Lets go down to that bend In r the river anyhow f The bend in the river was about half a mile alicad We E a hurried down to it and rowed to a large rock almost In the i I 1 middle of the river Tlxc water seemed deep around the great boulder and George said What a Jolly place to GO swimming i I He began unbuttoning hisJacket us ho spoke and addedWe We can undress i Ight here in the boat and tie the boat I to that big snag sticking tIp In the water on the other side I i of the lodlc I I We were in a secluded spot and the water looked Inviting i I I so we yielded to Georges proposition In a few moments I I Gebrge ahd Jbe and I plunged headlong Into the water while i Lew rowed the boat aibund the rock and fastened It to 1 the snag with a bit bf rope Then Lew took a header and joined via t Ill tell you what well do said Lew after we had J been Ih the watoi1 for a few minutes Lets go away up the river and Moat down on our bucks In this strong current cur-rent Come on I He swam to the shore and we followed him We ran j along the sandy bank for a long distance up stream and I then lolled aloitnd for some time In the Warm sand of the I river bank half burying ourselves In It and enjoying Its agreeable warmlli Finally we plunged into the river and I floated down toward the rock on our backs Reaching the 1 rock we climbed out upon it and Low said V Wheres the boat The boat iDIdnt you lie It to that snag I Of course I did I j Whore is I it now then F Thats just what Id like to knbw We stared blankly at each other A 1 Jew Inches of the old snag could be 1 seen above the water but the boat had disappeared I 1 Ill bet you I know Just whats hap s pened said George suddenly The 1 d top of the old snag has been broken off by the rope pulling on It and the boat has floated away Well ved better float after It in pretty short order said Lew as he I leaped Into the stream We followed I him and swam sulftly around the curve C in the river No boat could be seen The course of the river was nearly straight for about half a mile and then It curved again We swam to the shore nnd ran to this curve The river widened wid-ened hero and flowed on in a nearly I straight line for another quarter of a mile No boat could be seen But here we found a trace of It George < who had waded out htlo the water for a few yards held up a limp bit of white cotton cloth Well I am a little better oK than the rest of you for Ive something to put on II N What uity collar Your dollar1 Yes I left it on a seat of the boat I rf and I suppose the wind blew It oft Into the water Guess Ill put it on lie strung It around his heck as he spoke and I said Well as you are the betftdressed i boy In the crowd youd better go on down to Farmlnglon and see If you can hear anything of our boat and I clothes Farmlngton was a small town lying l 1 I both sides of the river about a mile frdm where We stood There was a i I factory there and It Was probable that some one had seen the boat and taken I It ashore Gebigc did not take kindly to my propbsltlon I No thank you he sold The folks CocKadood1edo My 1 A1thou Fm I wear a shocQJ b J t I i 1 4 1 I I ft I I I I L4d7 i4 1 crh1 h 1 r rrc i I it Y I ll r f k 7 c i I t a p t p I y f 1 10 J n I eh M 1 I S j r I tl I I i I it l I I I f 1 t ii fr V1 WIih I I 1 i I r I i I 1 tj I I t t I J 1 11 t r I i 1 r 5 cr I t 1 A r 1 + I I u julh II f r LARD B ° fT FJ a The Answer Is Hidden In Half a Dozen Places la the Picture down in Farmlngton are so oldfash loned and straightlaced that they might objdct to my decollate costume He came ashore and Joe said Well what are we to do I give It I up replied George Ve cant give It up said Len Weve gbt to do something I dorut know what uncle will say to me about that boat I wouldnt care If the old boat was In the bottom of the river If our clothes were here said Lew moodily Half of an old newspaper lay on the bank near George who could see noth ing but the fijnny side of the situation Picking up the newspaper he offered it to Lew and said Here Lew wrap yourself up In this and go up to that old farmhouse ands and-s e If they cant help us out Ill lend you my collar too If you want It and I noticed an old parasol with no cover to it back there on the river bank You might You might get hurt If you dont keep still growled Lew ominously Ill tell you weve got to Jupiter theres a wagon coming Run We were near a ford We ran Into the timber and hid behind a log A farm wagon containing several men and women came down to the ford and crossed slowly over the river while we wood nymphs us George called us sat upon the log and talked over the situation We tried to be serious but the absurdity ab-surdity of our position and George Hares ludicrous Suggestions kept all of us but Lew In almost constant laughter Lew was more dismayed bvdr the loss oC the boat than over the loss of our garments I have other clothes at home but Uncle Will hasnt any other boat he said I am sorry enough about the boat said George but Just at the present time Id rather have my shht and trbusers than a steam yacht with a 1 solid mahogany cabin and brass trimmings trim-mings To be continued |