long credits and this time I'm glad to do it."

"Oh, Mr. Streeter, you don't know how grateful I am to you for all
you are doing for me. The money is the least part of it and I can
fix that all right. You wouldn't think I was a capitalist to look at
me, would you?" said Dick, laughingly. "Since I left home I've
rolled up quite a fortune as a fireman and a sponger and I can pay
my little bills and have money to burn besides. How soon do you
think we can get off?"

"You ought to start to-morrow. You can get ready in an hour. Know
anything about canoeing?"

"Not much, but I've rowed some in a shell."

"That'll help you a little, but it leaves you something to learn.
The man whose canoe you have bought was cruising down here with his
family and he told me that every time one of 'em stepped in that
canoe he went overboard. He said he had to choose between the canoe
and his family and had concluded to let the canoe go. One of my boys
owns a little Indian canoe in which Johnny and he have poled around
a good deal, so I reckon Johnny can keep inside of your canoe, but
you'd better spend the forenoon to-morrow practicing in it with a
paddle, then you can get off right after dinner and your clothes
will be dry before you make camp at night."

"Does Johnny know the course we ought to take from here?"

"Not far, but I can help you some and you'll find out the rest for
yourselves. You'll have to. Then Johnny savvies Injun talk pretty