"I don't know what they were, but I got quite fascinated watching
them, and the first thing I knew the island had grown smaller--"

"The tide was coming in," explained Jimmy.

"But where is your canoe?" I asked him, "what have you done with
it?"

The astonished look came over the young man's face.

"Why, that's so! I wonder where it has gone?"

"Land o' libberty!" said the Captain, "don't yer know?"

"Why, yes, it floated off. While I was watching the tennis-racquet
animals it got loose, somehow--"

"Naturally," observed Captain Bannister, "seein' the tide was
risin', an' I don't s'pose yer pulled it up on the sand."

"And the first thing I knew it was quite a distance from the
island."

"Couldn't you have swum for it?" I demanded.

"Yes; but I didn't want to get all wet,--I--"

And then we all looked at his soaked clothes, and he laughed with
us.