Dotty obeyed at once, and sat up quite straight, looking very sweet, and at the same time slightly acid, like a stick of lemon-candy.  The Water Kelpie, now that Dotty was quiet, floated on, safely and surely, towards the opposite shore.

It was a pretty picture—­the white boat, the graceful children, and the still, blue water.  Susy’s fair arms were bared to the elbows, and her face was deeply flushed.  Dotty’s beautiful eyes danced, but she herself was motionless and demure.

When they landed, Susy called aloud for her aunt Martha to come and secure the boat.  Her voice echoed from afar, waking “the sleep of the hills,” but no aunt Martha appeared.  The children clambered out at last, and Susy chained the boat to a stick, which she drove into the sand.  But the sand was light, and the boat was heavy, and the current strong; so before the children had walked a dozen rods, the Water-Kelpie was floating down stream of its own free will.

Thus it happened that although aunt Martha was certainly surprised, she did not seem very much pleased.  She did not say, “Bravo! my two nieces are smart children, to be rowing all alone by themselves.”  Nothing of the sort.  She reproved Susy for her rash conduct, and sent her and Lonnie around two miles, by the bridge, to ask Abner to come for them with the canoe.

Lonnie was very much comforted when he saw that Susy received no praise.

“I can row her myself,” said he; “but I wouldn’t put Dotty in, and most drown her, and dab along with that shingle.”

The runaway Water-Kelpie was caught a little way below the bridge, and Abner slyly laid by the dripping shingle, and afterwards showed it to everybody, as a proof that “our Sue was an amazin’ smart little water man.”

This famous boat-ride only had the effect to make Dotty Dimple more fearless than ever; but her next adventure on the water proved somewhat serious.

CHAPTER IX.

BROTHER ZIP.

There was to be a remarkable supper at grandma Parlin’s, in honor of Colonel Augustus Allen, who was expected in the cars.  There had been a grand excursion to welcome the soldiers, and the stage would probably be very late.  Susy and Prudy had the promise of sitting up till it got in, if Dotty Dimple was only willing.  But Dotty said,—­

“O, no; you better go to bed when I go, Prudy, or you’ll hear somebody scream.”

“Let’s see,” said Prudy.  “I’ve thought of something nice.  Wouldn’t you like to go to aunt Martha’s, and stay all the afternoon and all night?”

Dotty gave a little purr, like a happy kitten.

“O, yes, if they’ll let me drink choclid out o’ that silver mug.”

“But who’ll go with you?” said Prudy.  “There, I know—­Abby Grant!  I’ll go ask mother.”

Prudy thought that she herself could not possibly be spared just now to walk as far as aunt Martha’s.