Certainly the sun was very hot that day.  The fishers on the island found it so, notwithstanding that they had sought out every one for himself the shadiest, freshest nook that could be found.  Nothing was fresh; and if the trees did hinder the sunshine from falling on some parts of the ground, they kept off none of it from the water; and the glare from that was said to be unendurable.  Even where there was not much glare strictly speaking; people were not particular in their speech that day.  At last they voted that holding lines in the water was of no use; fish could not be expected to leave their cool depths below to seek the sunny regions near the surface of the water; “they would be fools if they did,” one of the ladies remarked.  Fish never were supposed to be very wise creatures, Mr. Sandford informed her; but nevertheless, it was resolved not to reckon upon their want of wisdom at this time, but to put up and go back to shore, and try what cold chicken would do.  So just about the hour when the sun’s work for the day verges towards the hottest, the little boat was seen again stealing over the sunny surface of the lake, back to where the tablecloth lay spread for the tired people.

A little while before it reached that place, Dr. Sandford arrived upon the scene.  He locked a little warm in the face; but his white shooting coat did not seem less affected by the state of the weather than the doctor’s temper.  Mrs. Gary and Mrs. Fish he found sunk in somnolency at the foot of the tree where they had been talking.  The young ladies were sitting by the emptied hampers, deep in confab.  The boys and Fido, over against the outspread feast, were arranging fishing tackle, and watching the return of the boat; with eyes of anticipation.  To them came the doctor.

“Where is your sister, Ransom?”

“I don’t know.”  The tone meant, I don’t care.

“I do not see her anywhere.”

“No more do I,” said Ransom, without raising his eyes from his fishing line.

“Where is she?”

“I told you, I don’t know.”

“Did she go with the fishing party?”

“No sir; she was here when we came,” Alexander Fish spoke up.

“Yes, I remember she was here,” said Preston.  “I remember seeing her.  She cannot be far off.  It’s hot enough to keep people from straying far.”

The doctor, being not absolutely satisfied with this reasoning, and having nothing better to do, occupied himself with a search after the missing Daisy.  It lasted some time, and he was beginning to be not quite easy in his mind; when, being a sportsman, his eye detected something at a distance which was not moss nor stone.  In two minutes the doctor came up with it.  It was Daisy, fast asleep on her moss bed behind the rock.  Her head lay on her arm which was curled up under it; and profound slumber had left the little pale face as serene as usual.  The doctor was warm by this time.  He sat down on the moss beside her; and putting his arm under Daisy’s shoulders lifted her up, by way of waking her, speaking to her at the same moment.  But to his amusement, Daisy no sooner got her eyes well open than she shook herself free of him, and sat as demure as possible opposite to him on the moss.