“I don’t recall taking it out of the water,” Vevi said, glancing anxiously down the canal. “Did anyone else pick it up?” No one had seen the shoe. “It must have drifted away,” Hanny said. “Oh, dear, it belonged to my best pair too.” “Where does the canal lead?” Connie questioned. “Past the Mattox farm and on to a drainage ditch. The shoe couldn’t have drifted far though, because the Mattoxes have a footwalk across the water. That would stop the shoe if it went that far.” “Let’s go see!” proposed Vevi. She started off toward the adjoining property which was separated from the Van Der Lann place by a tall fence. “No! No!” Hanny called after her. “We must not trespass.” Vevi did not climb over the fence. But she crawled high up on it so she could see far down the canal. “I don’t see the shoe anywhere,” she said, and then she corrected herself. “Oh, yes, I do!” “Where?” cried Hanny. “It has snagged on a pile of sticks there where the canal turns a bit!” Hanny climbed up on the fence beside Vevi. She too saw the runaway shoe. “I’ll run and get it,” Vevi offered. She was not afraid to cross the Mattox land. “No, no!” Hanny said in earnest protest. “Uncle Peter has told me that I must never set foot on their property. They are so very unpleasant.” “Then how will we get the shoe?” Vevi demanded. Hanny thought hard for a second and then had an idea. “The watercourse belongs to everybody,” she declared. “I will take the boat and fetch the shoe!” _Chapter Seven_ A RUNAWAY ‘BOAT’ Vevi and Connie offered to go with Hanny to recover the missing wooden shoe. They thought it odd, however, that the Mattox couple should be so strict about anyone walking on their land. “Is it safe to go in the boat?” questioned Connie as the children walked back to the canal. “Oh, yes, the water isn’t deep,” Hanny replied. “I will get the oars.” She ran to the barn, returning with them in a moment. Then she untied the boat and climbed in. All of the Brownies were eager for a ride on the canal. Hanny though, could not take everyone. “Vevi and Connie spoke first,” she said. “So I will take them.” The two Brownies stepped into the boat with their armful of tulip blooms. By this time the flowers had wilted a bit. Vevi dipped the stems into the canal for a moment and then put the bouquets on the bottom of the boat. As she bent down she noticed that a little water was seeping in through the boards. “Say, I think this old boat is leaking!” she cried. “It always does a little,” Hanny replied, picking up the oars. Vevi and Connie moved their feet so that their shoes would not get wet. “Shove us off,” Hanny urged the Brownies who had remained ashore. Jane gave the boat a mighty push. Out it shot into the current. For a moment, before slowing down, the craft went almost as fast as if it had a motor. “Say, this is fun!” shouted Vevi.