"Very lucky for me," laughed Mother Stuart. "That will save me a few
extra steps."

Waggy had learned his lessons well. When he went to the meat market he
always carried a covered tin pail in which to carry home the meat, and
when he went to the post office, he was given a big leather wallet in
which to carry the letters.

The following afternoon Mrs. Stuart had an engagement with her dentist
and was compelled to leave Lena alone with Waggy. A kind neighbor had
lent Lena a wheel-chair so that she could travel from one part of the
house to the other. At two o'clock she began to watch for the picnickers
and at last saw them--five in all--run down the hill and get into her
Cousin Rob's boat and row out to the pretty island in the middle of the
river. Everyone knew that Cousin Rob was a good boatman and so fathers
and mothers did not worry when their sons and daughters went on the
water with him.

But on this day Rob was a little careless about pulling the boat up far
enough upon the island after all had landed. While the merry party was
on the other side of the island the boat floated away. Then to make
matters worse the sky suddenly became overcast with clouds telling of
the storm that was coming.

Lena saw what happened to the boat and presently she saw the five
picnickers hurrying toward the spot where they had left the boat. She
could imagine how they felt when they saw their boat floating down
stream.