Just then Mrs. Lane and Marjorie called with some beautiful flowers. They had driven over from The Maples every day while Brandt had been ill, to inquire for him. H CHAPTER X. THE MINNEHAHA. THE first two or three days that Brandt was about again the boys did not do very much but sit and talk over all the things that had happened. 66 "Cousin Dick was terribly sorry because my tandem was stolen," said Brandt. told him all about it, and he wrote the number of it in a little book, and put it in his pocket." "Did he write 1 2 8 6 9 7?" asked Jim, quickly. "Yes," returned Brandt, "I saw it myself." "Do you suppose he's going to find it?" said Jim, eagerly. "I don't know," replied the other; "he didn't say much, only took the number." That afternoon the boys walked to Muddy River where Jim kept his raft, and while Brandt stretched on the bank, Jim floated around. "Do you know," cried Jim, jumping off the raft and sitting beside Brandt, "I have thought of a great scheme." "What is it?" asked Brandt, quickly. "I'm going to make a canoe,” replied the other. "Do you know how?" said Brandt, with a great deal of interest. "I think so," returned Jim. "I need some cheese boxes; I have all the other things. "One day while you were sick,” he continued, "a big fellow came down the stream in a canoe, and asked me to get him some water. When I brought it to him we talked about his canoe, and he told me just how to make one." "It's very easy," said Brandt, when Jim had explained how the canoe could be made. "Won't it be just fine to have one!" They told Pete all about it when they returned, and he promised to get Jim the boxes. The very next day he went away "on business" he said, and when he came 854529 A back had more cheese boxes than the boys had ever seen together. In a very short time Jim was working on the canoe. His tool-chest was in view, and he went about with the air of a skilled workman. Everybody helped, especially Pete, who seemed to know just what to do. Tommy and the dog watched the progress of the work, and Brandt was general superintendent. The boxes had been placed in water to get a thorough soaking, and when taken out they were soft and pliable. They formed the framework of the canoe, and were put together with great care and skill on the long keel. When this was finished, Pete got a piece of canvas to cover the framework, and Jim's father gave them some paint. Brandt did all the painting, and everybody said it was a very artistic piece of work. He painted the bottom green and the sides white, then the canoe was put one side to dry while some fine paddles were made. The boys were delighted over the result of their effort, and the day it was completed Brandt talked it over with Mrs. Cole till bedtime. She told him how the Indians made canoes of birch bark, and how expert they were in handling them. She related how the first settlers who came to America found the red men gliding down the streams and shooting the rapids in canoes. Then she showed Brandt a picture of a wild race down the river between the Indians. The boy was very much interested to hear about them. When Mrs. Cole read some lines from a beautiful poem entitled "Hiawatha's Sailing," he listened with pleased attention. "Thus the birch canoe was builded, In the valley by the river, In the bosom of the forest, When Mrs. Cole finished reading the last line, Brandt closed his eyes to sleep. That night he dreamt of the wonderful canoe |