SUSPICIONS STRENGTHENED
The girls screamed. The boys looked on in startled amazement. The men
who had been hired to help launch the boat stood with their hands hanging
at their sides, as if unable to do anything. Finally Walter galvanized
himself into action long enough to exclaim:
"We should have had a rope fast to her."
"That you had, my lad!" agreed a grizzled old fisherman. "A rope and a
kedge anchor on shore. Howsomever----"
"Can't something be done?" demanded Cora, clasping her hands impulsively.
"It must be! Our boat!"
The spectacle of the fine craft, in which so many of the hopes and
expectations of the young people centered, about to be damaged, seemed
to send a chill of apprehension to the hearts of the girls--more so than
in the case of the boys. And it certainly looked as though a collision
was unavoidable.
"And Jack!" cried Belle. "He'll be smashed!"
"Not on that end," remarked Ed, grimly. "If he sticks there he won't be
hurt. He's as far away from the smashing-point as he can get."
This was true, for Jack was now clinging to the stem of the boat, having
edged his way along from amidships. He did not seem worried, and in fact
was preparing to do the only thing possible to prevent a collision.
While the boys--Ed, Walter and Norton--were racing about, looking for
an available boat to launch, regardless of the fact that it would be too
late for all practical purposes, and while the fishermen helpers were
disputing as to whose fault it was that a retaining rope had not been
provided, Jack was carrying out his plan of action.
This was nothing more or less than to turn himself into a rudder. As a
usual thing the rudder is on the stern of the boat--necessarily so--but
in this case the stern of the _Pet_ was the bow, as far as motion was
concerned, and Jack, clinging to the stem, was on the stern, so to speak.
So, vigorously churning with his feet, as a swimmer might tread water,
he threw himself to one side, as a rudder might have been turned.
The effect was immediate. The _Pet_ veered to one side, and the startled
owner of the sloop, toward which the motor boat was plunging, had small
use for the hook he had caught up in his excitement.
In another moment the _Pet_ shot alongside the other craft, sliding rather
violently along the rub-streak, and careening the sloop and herself as
well. But no real harm was done save the removal of considerable paint
and varnish. Jack had succeeded in his design.
"Well, what were you trying to do?" demanded the owner of the sloop,
rather angrily.
"Trying to save your boat from harm," answered Jack quickly. "Throw me a
line, will you? and I'll come aboard. I don't want to get in the motor
boat, all wet as I am."
"Sure thing!" the man exclaimed. "That was a neat trick you worked. Mighty
clever!"
He flung Jack a rope's end, the two boats now having drifted apart. Jack
pulled himself to the deck of the sloop, letting go his hold on the _Pet_,
but Walter and Ed were now coming out to get her in a small boat. Soon
she was tied safely at the float, and Jack returned to shore.
"How--how did it all happen?" asked Eline.
"Well," said Jack, rather pantingly, for his breath was somewhat spent, "I
had an idea that I gave a fairly good imitation, a la the moving picture
performance, of how it happened. But if you'd prefer to have me play
a return engagement, I might----"
"Don't you dare!" cried Cora, as Jack made a motion as though to plunge
into the water again. "Was that man very mad, Jack?"
"Oh, only so-so. Say, I am some wet!"
"Yes, you'd better go up to the bung, and change," suggested Ed--"bung,"
I may explain, being a short cut for bungalow.
"Guess I'd better," agreed the damp one. "Say, but she's leaking some!"
and he looked into the cockpit of the motor craft.
"It will stop when the seams swell," was Walter's opinion. "Come on,
fellows, we'll look over the engine."
"Yes, and please get some gasoline," suggested Cora. "We may be able to go
for a spin this afternoon. Come on, girls. Now that the _Pet_ is in her
element we'll take a stroll around, and look at--well, at whatever there
is to look at," she concluded.
"Let's go over to the lighthouse," suggested Belle.
"Not now!" exclaimed Cora, quickly. "We'll go some other time. Come on,"
and leaving the boys to go over the intricacies of the motor boat, the
girls strolled along the sand.
Jack hurried on the bungalow.
"Why didn't you want to go to the lighthouse?" asked Eline of Cora, as
they walked on, arm in arm. "I think they are so romantic. And perhaps
that mermaid's father might show us through it in return for our rescue."
"Doubtless he would, and probably he will--later," said Cora. "But, Eline,
I want to do some thinking first."
"About what?"
"About what that mermaid, as you call her, told me of her father's
worries. She----"
"Here she comes now," interrupted Belle, catching part of what Cora and
Eline were saying. Walking along the strand, with the chubby little boy
who had been pulled from the water, was Rosalie.
"How do you do?" she called pleasantly to Cora. "Are you all settled?
I think it must be lovely to live as you girls do, going about as you
please."
"And I think it must be so romantic to live in a lighthouse," interposed
Belle. "Do you ever tend the light?"
"Once in a while, when father is busy--that is, early in the evening.
Father and the assistant, Harry Small, stand the night watches."
"Do you ever have storms here?" asked Bess.
"Oh, often, yes; and bad ones too."
"And are ships wrecked?" Eline queried.
"Occasionally."
"Did your light ever save any?" asked Cora.
"Oh, yes, it must have, for the light can be seen for a long distance.
Of course, we can't say how many vessels have come in too close to the
black rocks, and have veered off. But I know once or twice father has seen
the lights too close in, and then, as the sailors saw the lantern flash,
they would steer out. So you see they were warned in time."
"That's splendid!" cried Bess. "Think of saving a whole shipload of
people!" and her eyes sparkled.
"How is your father?" asked Cora in a low voice, as she got a chance to
walk with Rosalie, the other three girls going on ahead.
"Oh, he is still worried--if that is what you mean," was the answer.
"That is what I do mean, my dear," Cora went on. "I wonder if you would
mind describing your aunt to us."
"You mean the one who--disappeared?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
It was a challenge, and Rosalie looked curiously at Cora.
"Well, my dear, I fancy--no, I will say nothing until I learn more. But
don't tell me about her unless you choose."
"Oh, I'm sure I don't mind. Perhaps you would like to speak to father?"
"Possibly--a little later. But was your aunt a delicate woman, with iron
gray hair, and rather a nervous manner?"
"Yes, that's Aunt Margaret! But why do you ask?"
"I will tell you later, my dear. Please don't say anything about it until
I see your father. Do you suppose he would show us through the light?"
"Of course! I'll ask him; and that will give you the chance you want!"
"Fine!" exclaimed Cora. "I'm afraid you will think this is rather a
conspiracy," she went on, "but I have my reasons. It may amount to
nothing, but I will not be satisfied until I have proved or disproved
something I have suspected since I came here."