At first everything went very well. Nicknack
seemed a little frightened when the boat tipped and rocked, but Ted
patted him and fed him more grass, which Nicknack liked very much.
"I knew he'd be good!" Teddy said, when they were almost at the
island, and could see Jan waving to them. "I knew he'd like the boat
ride, Grandpa."
"Yes, he seems to like it. Now if we--"
But just then something happened.
The wind suddenly blew rather hard, roughening the water and causing
the boat to tip. Nicknack was jostled over against the wagon, and some
water splashed on him.
"Baa-a-a-a-a!" bleated the goat.
Then, before anyone could stop him, he gave a leap over Teddy's head,
and into the water splashed Nicknack.
The goat had leaped overboard into the deepest part of Clover Lake!
CHAPTER V
THE BAG OF SALT
"Oh! Oh!" cried Teddy. "Oh, there goes my nice goat! Catch him,
Grandpa! Stop him!"
Grandpa Martin stopped rowing and looked in surprise at the goat. So
did the hired man.
"Well, just look!" exclaimed George.
"Oh, he'll be drowned! He'll be drowned!" wailed Teddy, tears coming
into his eyes, for he loved Nicknack. "He'll be drowned!"
Grandpa Martin rested his hands on the oars and looked into the water.
Then he smiled.
"I guess you'd have hard work drowning that goat," he said. "He's
swimming like a fish!"
"And right straight for Star Island!" added the hired man.
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