BESSIE’S ISLAND. %5

boat and the other upon the shore. Bessie
sprang out of the boat, laughing heartily at
Tom’s grand speech. °

There is no stake to tie the boat to; what
are you going to do now ?” asked Bessie.

“Do! I know what to do. Bring a stone—
as large a one as you can lift, and I will fasten
this rope around it, and anchor the boat.”

Bessie ran a short distance, put down her
dinner-basket, and after awhile found a large,
rough stone. She came lugging it along, with
both arms around it, and dropped it as near as
possible to the boat.

“ That will keep her anchored,” said Tom,
as he let the stone drop into the water.”

He then threw the oars in the boat, and
joined Bessie.

“JT did not think Bessie’s Island was so
large,” said Tom; “why, there are—let me
see—one, two, three, four, five, six, seven
trees—good, large trees, and all these cedar
bushes—Awckle berry bushes, too. I wonder
how they came. And, I declare, here’s a
currant bush. Isn’t it queer ?”