Forester called the dog there, and Marco amused himself for some time in throwing sticks into the water, and ordering the dog, whose name was Nelson, to plunge in and go and bring them back.

The boat was there too, fastened by a rope to a post in the bank.

At length, after Marco had satisfied himself with these amusements, he said, "Well, cousin Forester, here is the boat." "Yes," said Forester, "but the man don't seem to be at home.

I presume he's at the mill." "And what shall we do in that case ?" asked Marco.
"Why, I will go into the house first, and ascertain the fact, and get a paddle." So Forester went into the house, and soon afterward returned, bringing with him a paddle.

He said that the man was at the mill, but that his wife said that they might have the boat to go and find him.