"Didn't he do it on purpose, Grant?" demanded Fred.

"I don't know," replied Grant, striving desperately to keep from smiling. "I know he didn't tell me he was going to do it."

"Well, it was just like him anyway," said John. "He knew we couldn't splash him back because he had the lunch in the canoe with him."

"Take it, will you?" asked Grant, holding the basket up to John. "Here are the fishing rods too."

George and Grant followed soon after and the second canoe was made fast to one of the thwarts of the other.

"I'll put the lunch up here," said Fred, at the same time depositing the basket up forward under the protection of the deck.

"Slide the rods in there too, will you?" exclaimed George. "Look out for the reels that they don't get caught under anything."

"Everything ready?" asked John.

"Let 'er go," cried George enthusiastically. "I'm ready."

"Come and help me pull up the anchor then," said John.

"I'm your man," cried George. "You know I'm always looking for work."

"I've noticed that," laughed Grant. "You're always looking for work so that you'll know what places to keep away from."

Four light hearted young campers were now on board the Balsam. In spite of their words a few moments before not one of them had lost his temper.

They knew each other too well and were far too sensible not to be able to take a joke. Outsiders, listening to their conversation, might have thought them angry at times, but such was never the case.

"Get your back in it there," shouted Grant gayly to John and George who were busily engaged in hauling in the anchor chain. George stood close to the bow with John directly behind him as hand-over-hand they pulled in the wet, cold chain.

"This deck is getting slippery," exclaimed George. "All this water that has splashed up here from the chain has made it so I can scarcely keep my feet."

"I should say so," agreed John earnestly and as he spoke one foot slid out from beneath him. He lurched heavily against his companion, and George thrown completely off his balance, waved his arms violently about his head in an effort to save himself, but all to no avail. He fell backward and striking the water with a great splash disappeared from sight.

CHAPTER V-THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENS

"Man overboard!" shouted Grant, running forward as he called. He did not know whether to laugh or to be worried. One thing was certain though and that was that George like his three companions was perfectly at home in the water. All four were expert swimmers so that barring accidents they had little to fear from falling overboard.

"He's all right," cried John. "Help me hold this anchor, somebody."

Grant grasped the chain and one more heave was sufficient to bring the anchor up on the deck of the Balsam. Before this could be done, however, George came to the surface choking and spluttering.

"I'll fix you for that, String," he gasped, shaking his fist at John.

"For what?" demanded John.

"You know all right."

"Why, Pop," said John reprovingly.

"Keep her up into the wind, Fred," shouted Grant who was seated at the tiller. "Let your sheet run. Here, Pop, give me your hand."

"I'd better go down to the stern and get aboard there," said George. "I think it will be a little easier."

"All right; go ahead."

George floated alongside the Balsam until he came to the stern and a moment later had swung himself on board the boat. He was drenched to the skin but laughing in spite of himself.

"Do you want to change your clothes, Pop?" asked Grant.

"No, it's hot to-day. They'll dry out in no time."

"Ease her off then, Fred," Grant directed. "We may as well get started."

Fred put the helm over, the sail filled and the Balsam began to slip through the water at a good rate. The four boys sat around the tiny c.o.c.kpit, Fred at the tiller and Grant tending sheet. In a few moments they had emerged from the little harbor and had entered upon the open waters of the lake.

"Well, String," observed George who was busily engaged in wringing water from the bottoms of his duck trousers, "you certainly did it well."

"Did what well?" demanded John.

"Don't pretend you don't know."

"What are you talking about?"

"You meant to shove me overboard and I know it so there's no use in you trying to bluff. You were very skillful about it and I guess you got square with me all right. We'll call it even and quit."

"I did do it pretty well, didn't I?" grinned John.

"Yes, you did, but I think the way I soaked you and Fred was just as good."

"You didn't see a water bug then?"

"No, and you didn't slip either."

"Yes, I did; on purpose though. Let's call it off now."

"I'm agreeable," laughed George, "even if you did get the better of me."

"How about me?" demanded Fred. "Pop wet me just as much as he did String and I don't see that I am even with him yet."

"You 'tend to your sailing," laughed George. "That'll have to satisfy you."

"I can steer you on a rock you know," warned Fred.

"Don't do it though," begged Grant. "I'm an innocent party and I'd suffer just as much as the others."

"Where shall we sail?" asked George.