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behavior." Jay interposed, wry.
    "I'd hate to see his worst."
    "He's a bad actor. I don't envy the wife."
    I was horrified. "You don't mean he abuses her?"
    "I don't know that he does, but you saw him yesterday."
    I shook my head, speechless. I would certainly not risk my body in the same cabin with
that maniac.
    When we got back to the grounds of the lodge it was still only half-past seven. We
experimented with one of the canoes. I grew up near the Finger Lakes in upstate New York, so I'd
done a lot of canoeing in summer camp. I instructed the great negotiator, and we paddled along
the western shore. The water was so clear we could see bottom--rocks and little speckled fish and
an occasional strand of waterweed in sharp focus. I had no idea how deep the water was.
    We headed for the dock when we saw Janey Huff standing on it, waving at us.
    "Hi! Miguel says the coffee's ready," she called as we slid across the last glassy yards.
"You two are up early."
    "Normal business hours."
    She helped pull the canoe alongside the dock and tied up for us as we clambered out.
"Want to go wind-surfing?"
    "There's no wind." Jay retrieved the paddles.
    "You could get the feel of it though." Her smile included me, too. "I'm a fanatic. It's fun
around six at night when the sea-breeze comes up. Otherwise this isn't the place."
    "We'll try it," I decided. Why not?
    We had coffee and a wind-surfing lecture in the lounge. Jay finagled a cup of herb tea.
About eight thirty the others started to come down, Denise first in a flowered pajama outfit and
twenty pounds of assorted rings. She looked heavy-eyed and drank two cups of black coffee
before she was capable of articulate speech.
    "Somebody was playing a radio this morning. At dawn."
    "Not guilty," I replied. "We didn't bring a radio. Against our religion."
    She pouted as if she weren't sure whether I was teasing or not. I decided not to
tease.
    "I listened to the weather report about half an hour ago," Janey confessed.
    Not dawn.
    Denise touched her forehead in an infinitely graceful gesture that indicated, what, pain?
anguish? Weltschmertz ? "I'm a martyr to insomnia, darling. Could you use one of those
little earplugs tomorrow?"
    Janey flushed. "Okay. Sorry."
    It was clear that Denise was about to treat us to a detailed account of her nocturnal
thrashings. Fortunately Lydia bounced in, full of sparkle, and forestalled her. Lydia was wearing
a droopy skirt of mauve homespun and an off-white hand-crocheted top that showed her firm
arms. A chunky art major necklace hung over the crochet work, and her earrings looked like
medicine bundles. There were feathers in them. Surprisingly enough she did not look
ridiculous.
    "Happy Fourth!" She beamed at us all impartially. "Janey darling, was that your radio at
dawn? So inconsiderate, my dear. You know Dai likes to sleep in."
    "It was not. Dawn." Janey spoke through clenched teeth.
    Lydia poured herself a cup of coffee from the gleaming urn, fiddled with the sugar and
looked at the cream. "Too rich for my blood," she murmured and trotted off toward the kitchen in
search of milk.
    I sipped at my own brew, luxuriating in the cream. The real thing, full of calories and
cholesterol. Lovely.
    Janey drank hers black, and she was scowling into it.
    Jay seated himself on the raised hearth. "Where do you keep your board?"
    "It's still on the roof of my car." She sipped again. "I could use some help unloading
it."
    "Sure."
    "Now?"
    "Okay." He set down his cup of stewed weeds. "Coming, Lark?"
    "Not before breakfast."
    Janey bounced to her feet, restored to good cheer. "See you later!" Jay trailed her
out.
    I peered into my creamy coffee. Was I perhaps losing my marbles? Prudence suggested
that I go wrestle with bungee cords.
    "Such a pleasant young man," said Denise. "For a policeman."
    I gritted my teeth. "I saw Dennis yesterday. It's a big fire. He thought he'd be gone
through the weekend."
    "Dear Dennis," she said vaguely.
    "Morning," Bill Huff growled from the