Bert, of course, agreed to the proposition, and went into the shop
after the oars belonging to the canoe, while Don went into the house
again after the guns. When he came out again he had a breech-loader
on each shoulder and David's ten dollars in his pocket. Paying that
bill twice did make a big hole in his Christmas money, for it took
just half of it.
The brothers walked along the garden path that ran toward the lake,
and when Don, who was leading the way, stepped upon the jetty he
missed something at once. The canoe was gone. They had not been near
the jetty for a week, and the last time they were there the boat was
all right. It could not have got away without help, for it was firmly
tied to a ring in the jetty by the chain, which served as a painter,
and even if that had become loosened the canoe would have remained
near its moorings, for there was no current in the lake to carry it
from the shore. Beyond a doubt, it had been stolen. Don would not
have felt the loss more keenly if the thief had taken his fine
sail-boat. The canoe was almost as old as he was, and in it he and
Bert had taken their first ride on the lake and captured their first
wounded duck.
"It's gone," said Don, after he and Bert had looked all around the
lake as far as their eyes could reach, "and that's all there is of
it.
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