reasons are too numerous to mention."

"Boys, you know, will do so, sometimes," said Johnny, and he smiled
upon his brother in a way that made me think they had a very good
understanding upon the subject.

They could both swim, yet their floats looked very perilous,--three
pieces of old plank or slabs, with two cross-pieces and a fragment
of a board for a rider, and made without nails or withes.

"In some places," said Johnny, "one plank was here and another off
there, but we managed, somehow, to keep atop of them."

"Let's leave our floats here, and ride with him the rest of the
way," said one to the other.

"All right; may we, mister? "

I assented, and we were soon afloat again. How they enjoyed the
passage; how smooth it was; how the boat glided along; how quickly
she felt the paddle! They admired her much; they praised my
steersmanship; they praised my fish-pole and all my fixings down to
my hateful rubber boots. When we stuck on the rifts, as we did
several times, they leaped out quickly, with their bare feet and
legs, and pushed us off.

"I think," said Johnny, "if you keep her straight and let her have
her own way, she will find the deepest water. Don't you, Denny?"

"I think she will," replied Denny; and I found the boys were pretty