SETTING UP HOUSEKEEPING
Jane, receiving no answer to her calls, ran up on top of the house. A
quick glance about showed her that Harriet was nowhere in sight. Jane
did not dare to dive, knowing that the water was shallow. She jumped,
feet first, instead, landing in the shallow water with great force.
"She's under there!" cried the girl, staggering toward the bow of the
houseboat. Putting her shoulders against it she shoved the heavy boat
back a little. Harriet Burrell came to the surface, then made a feeble
attempt to swim. Jane picked her up and carried her ashore; or, rather,
dragged her there, for, impeded by the water, Jane found Harriet too
heavy a burden.
Harriet was gasping. She had held her breath until she could hold it no
longer. The result was that she had swallowed considerable water. Crazy
Jane was working over her. It was but a few minutes before Harriet
Burrell had wholly recovered from the effects of the recent catastrophe.
She was considerably bruised and was rendered nervous by her trying
experience.
"Is--is the small boat damaged?" she gasped.
"Never mind the small boat. There are more boats where that came from,"
answered Jane. "You lie down here while I go for another boat. Shall I
get some one to help us?"
Harriet shook her head.
"If we are going to be fresh water sailors we must learn to do things
for ourselves."
"That's what I say," agreed Jane, nodding with great emphasis. "But are
you sure you are all right?"
"I'm awfully wet, Jane."
"That's nothing. We'll be wet many a time before we get through with
this cruise."
"We shall have to get started first," answered Harriet, chuckling. "Run
along for another boat. I'll try to keep the 'Red Rover' off the shore
while you are gone. Hurry!"
Jane ran toward the landing, still some distance away. There were
several boats tied up there. She helped herself to one and rowed back
with all speed. She espied Harriet out in the lake with the houseboat,
where the latter had succeeded in pushing it and was doing her best to
keep the craft from drifting back to the shore. Jane brought a rope with
her that she had taken from a third boat. This she quickly made fast to
the scow, then began pulling it out into the lake. The wind had died out
and the rowing was found to be much easier, though of course, the "Red
Rover" was as heavy and cumbersome as before.
"We'll make it," cried Jane encouragingly.
It was a full half hour later when Harriet steered the houseboat
alongside the pier. The girls made fast, then threw themselves down on
the dock, utterly exhausted from their efforts.
In the meantime, Miss Elting and the other girls, becoming worried over
the long absence of Crazy Jane and Harriet, had left the hotel, starting
out for Johnson's dock on foot. They found Harriet and Jane making the
boat more secure, preparatory to leaving for the hotel.
"Why, girls, whatever is the matter? You are wet through! Go up to the
hotel and get into dry clothes at once. You will both catch cold. You
are too late for breakfast, too. What happened to you?" exclaimed Miss
Elting. "You are certainly bedraggled looking specimens."
Harriet told the guardian of their search for the "Red Rover." Miss
Elting frowned. The message from her brother was still in her pocket.
She recalled the peculiar actions of Dee Dickinson, wondering if
perchance he had anything to do with the casting adrift of their
houseboat, Harriet had not told the guardian of having found a hot stove
on the occasion of their first visit to their summer home. That,
perhaps, might have enlightened the guardian.
Now that Miss Elting and the other girls were there to unload the
automobile, Jane and Harriet turned to go.
"We will begin to settle while you girls go to town for breakfast,"
called the guardian after them.
"You will have to wait a while until the rear end of the boat dries
out," returned Harriet. "I don't think it will take long. But, in the
meantime, there are the windows and the walls that need fixing."
The other girls and the guardian fell to work while Jane and Harriet
were at breakfast, and dainty chintz curtains were draped over each
window. There were green shades hung over the windows also, but these,
during the day, were to be rolled up out of sight.
Jane and Harriet changed their wet clothing, ate breakfast and returned
early in the forenoon. With them they brought a chart of the big lake
that they had bought of a boat owner. While in the village Jane also had
paid for the damaged rowboat and arranged for another, as it would be
necessary to have a rowboat with them at all times. A new anchor, this
time a real one, was purchased and piled into the automobile.
The girls worked all that day setting their cabin to rights. It was to
them a delightful task, and late in the afternoon the cabin of the "Red
Rover" was as homelike a place as one could wish. Covers had been made
for the folding cots, so that by day they offered attractive lounging
places. The upper deck had some rough seats, made by the carpenter who
had put up the awning. Then there were boxes for plants, in case the
girls should wish to have flowers. But it was the interior of the cabin
that was the real delight. The white walls and green trimmings gave it a
fresh, cool appearance. One could scarcely have believed this to be the
lumbering, dirty, old fishing scow of a few days since. Bert Elting
never would have recognized the craft in its new dress.
That night the Meadow-Brook Girls decided to have their first meal on
board. They also decided to clear away and set sail before sitting down
to the meal. Jane drove her car to town, leaving it at a garage, after
which she walked back to the dock. She found the "Red Rover" ready to
sail. The girls were discussing the question of where to go for an
anchorage for the night.
"Is that all?" called Jane. "Leave it to the boat. She'll find a place
for herself. Say, I'm not going to try to tow that house out of here
with all these boats about."
There were launches and steamers coming in constantly. The waters in
that vicinity were dotted with rowboats and small skiffs as well. Jane
did not like the idea of dragging out the "Red Rover" through that
gathering of craft. Neither did Harriet Burrell. Jane was looking over
the launches and their occupants as they came up to the dock either to
take on or discharge passengers. All at once she pounced upon two boys,
who had left a third boy on the dock and bade him good-bye.
"Will you give us a tow?" demanded Jane.
"Where do you want to go?" answered one of the lads, touching his cap.
"Which way are you going?"
"Down the lake."
"That's the way we are going. Say, which way is down the lake?" she
asked Harriet in a whisper. The latter indicated the direction by a wave
of the hand.
"We'll give you a rope and tell you when you are to drop us," added
Jane.
The boys regarded the houseboat rather dubiously. They did not know
whether or not their little launch would be able to tow it. Jane and
Harriet explained to their companions that they were to have a tow. Then
the two girls made fast the line, carrying the latter to the motor boat,
after which they cast off from the pier.
The Meadow-Brook Girls uttered a cheer, as the "Red Rover" slowly
drifted sideways clear of the dock. The dock was thronged with people,
all of whom were now observing the houseboat. The latter's upper deck
held the girls, with the exception of Jane, who was at the helm to steer
as soon as their craft had been turned about and headed in the right
direction. The houseboat came about slowly; then, as the motor boat
chugged away the line grew taut and the "Red Rover" began to move.
"You give me steering directions, Harriet," cried Jane.
"I will wave to you. That will be better than shouting."
"Whatever you say."
"Look out!"
A heavy shock, following Harriet's warning, caused Jane to shove the
tiller hard over. The girls were piled in a heap on the upper deck and
it seemed as though the front part of the houseboat must have been
crushed.
Loud, threatening voices forward brought Crazy Jane to the upper deck
instantly. Then she saw what had occurred. The "Red Rover" had taken a
sudden dive to the left, colliding with an anchored sailboat.
"If you don't know how to steer, keep off the lake!" raged the owner,
shaking both fists at the red terror.
"If you don't know how to keep out of the way, then you ought to get
pushed off the lake," flung back Jane McCarthy defiantly.
Harriet laid a hand on her arm.
"Don't argue with them, Jane. It isn't well-bred to do a thing like
that."
The launch was sputtering away trying to extricate the "Red Rover" from
its position, which, by this time, was broadside against the sailboat.
The "Red Rover" was rising and falling, each time rubbing off some red
paint onto the white sides of the yacht. With each blotch of paint, so
acquired, the anger of the owner of the yacht increased. It was
fortunate for the Meadow-Brook Girls that they succeeded in getting away
promptly. Jane was getting more and more angry, and Harriet had all she
could do to restrain her companion.
But their troubles were not yet ended. The "Red Rover" plunged through
the fleet, smash-into a sailboat here, nearly sinking a rowboat there,
grazing the side of a steamer, rubbing off some more paint in the
operation, and continuing her voyage of destruction by smashing in the
gunwale of a launch that was unfortunate enough to be anchored within
range of the "Red Rover's" tow line. Jane's steering was anything but
skilful. She steered too much, not giving the boat half a chance to
respond to one turn of the tiller, before she turned it the other way.
But Harriet Burrell offered no suggestions. At least, she remained
silent until after the "Red Rover" had upset a canoe, spilling a young
man and two girls into the lake. It was then that Harriet sprang down
and casting off the rowboat pulled to their rescue. It was well that she
did so, for neither of the girls could swim.
The motor boat that was towing the "Red Rover" had stopped instantly but
the "Red Rover" was still drifting, managing to collide with two more
small boats before finally coming to a stop. In the meantime, Harriet
had hauled the dripping girls aboard her rowboat, and assisted the young
man to right his canoe. The girls refused to get into it again.
"Bring the young ladies aboard and let us give them some dry clothes,"
called Miss Elting.
"They wish to be put ashore here," answered Harriet.
"We are very sorry that we have caused you all this trouble. Our boat
doesn't seem to steer well. I don't know what the trouble is," continued
the guardian.
The two girls were very courteous about the matter. They assured Miss
Elting and Harriet that they knew the accident had been unavoidable, and
that it had been more their fault than the "Red Rover's." The young man,
however, was inclined to grumble. Harriet put the wet girls ashore,
where they were followed by their companion. The "Red Rover" then moved
on, following a zig-zag course, narrowly missing running into other
boats, until finally one of the lads in the motor boat put his hands to
his lips and shouted:
"How much farther are you folks going?"
Harriet consulted with Miss Elting.
"If you will be good enough to tow us into that cove just ahead, we
shall be very much obliged," answered Harriet. The motor boat was
instantly headed toward the cove. Harriet chuckled. "They are eager to
be rid of us, and I don't blame them at all."
"They look like nice boys. I think I will invite them to come aboard,"
decided the guardian. Harriet nodded her approval. When, finally, the
houseboat had been dragged in, Harriet shouted to the boys to cast off.
It was then that Miss Elting asked them to come aboard. The boy at the
wheel said they would come some other time, that they were obliged to
get back to their camp farther down the lake. They would accept no pay
for their towing and chugged away, waving their hands, leaving a snowy
wake behind them.
Harriet had already climbed down, and, with a long string, at the end of
which had been tied the piece of broken poker from the old stove, was
taking sounding to get the depth of water.
"Eight feet. That's deep enough. Jane! Come help me put over the anchor,
please," she called.
The anchor went over with a splash, after which the rope was tied to a
heavy hard wood cleat that the carpenter had secured to the forward
lower deck. The "Red Rover" drifted to the end of its anchor rope, then
swung to the gentle breeze that was blowing.
"Thank goodness we aren't at the bottom of the lake," exclaimed Crazy
Jane.
"It's the other folks who have reason to be thankful," answered Harriet
smilingly. "Now let's get supper. We have a lot to do, and even more to
discuss."
"Had we not better work in closer to shore?" questioned the guardian,
regarding the wooded cove critically.
"No, I think not. I have my reasons for wanting to be away from the
shore," answered Harriet.
It would have perhaps been better had they chosen some other location
for their anchorage, for the night in the cove was to be a trying one
for the Meadow-Brook Girls and another of those mysterious happenings
that had so disturbed them was to overtake them at the very beginning of
the cruise of the "Red Rover."