Carter’s bark was worse than his bite, for, although he scolded, he helped the children in carefully and gently seated Stella in her place.  Then he stepped in, and with a mighty shove of the oar pushed the boat off the beach, and they were afloat again.

The exhilaration of the occasion had roused Midge and Molly to a high state of frolicsomeness, and it did seem impossible for them to keep still.  They dabbled their hands in the water and surreptitiously splashed each other, causing much and tumultuous giggling.  This was innocent fun in itself, but Carter well knew that a sudden unintentional bounce on the part of either might send the other one into the water.  Regardless of their entreaties he turned around and headed the boat for home.

“Ye’re too many for me, Miss Midge,” he exclaimed; “if I land you safe this trip ye can get somebody else to row ye the next time.  I’m having nervous prostration with your tricks and your didoes.  Now, will ye be good?”

This last exasperated question was caused by the fact that a sudden bounce of Molly’s caused the boat to lurch and Carter’s swift-moving oar sent a drenching wave all over Midge.

“Pooh, water doesn’t hurt!” cried the victim.  “I like it.  Do it again, Molly!”

“Don’t you do it, Miss Molly!” roared Carter, bending to his oars and pulling fast in an effort to get home before these unmanageable children had passed all bounds.

“Girls,” piped Stella, plaintively from her end of the boat, “if you don’t stop carrying on, I shall cry.”

This threat had more effect than Carter’s reprimands, and, though the two madcaps giggled softly, they did sit pretty still for the remainder of the trip.

Once more on the dock, Marjorie shook herself like a big dog, and declared she wasn’t very wet, after all.  “And I’m very much obliged to you, Carter,” she said, smiling at the old man; “you were awful good to take us for such a lovely boat-ride, and I’m sorry we carried on so, but truly, Carter, it was such a lovely boat that I just couldn’t help it!  And you do row splendid!”

The compliment was sincere, and by no means made with the intention of softening Carter’s heart, but it had that effect, and he beamed on Midget as he replied: 

“Ah, that’s all right, me little lady.  Ye just naturally can’t help bouncin’ about like a rubber ball.  Ye have to work off yer animal spirits somehow, I s’pose.  But if so be that ye could sit a bit quieter, I might be injuced to take ye agin some other day.  But I’d rather yer grandma’d be along.”

“Oho!” laughed Marjorie.  “It would be funny to have Grandma in a boat!  She’d sit stiller than Stella, and I don’t believe she’d like it, either.”

With Stella in the middle, the three girls intertwined their arms and skipped back to the house.  Marjorie and Molly had found that the only way to make Stella keep up with them was to urge her along in that fashion.