THE HAUNTED ISLE
For some seconds no one seemed to know just what had happened. The
steamer was clear, and the motor boat was running safely. Three
very wet girls were thanking their good fortune that the water was
their only damage--and water in the shape of a shower of spray is
not much of a matter to complain of, after you escape a collision.
"What happened?" asked Belle, when she had the courage to uncover
her eyes.
"Bess turned wrong," said Cora.
"I couldn't tell which way to go," put in the frightened girl. "I
was simply stage-struck. But what saved us?"
"I jerked the wheel just enough to get a little to one side, and
then the steamer had a chance to turn away," replied Cora. "I tell
you we had a close shave, but that makes our first trip all the more
interesting. Bess, can I trust you now to take my place while I
look at that wheel? The rope may have slipped?"
"Oh, don't do anything," pleaded Belle. "Call to that boat over
there, and let us have help. See, they are coming this way."
"Why, it's the boys--our boys!" exclaimed Cora. "Why have they gone
out without telling me, when they knew I wanted to use my boat?"
In a canoe that looked like a big eel as it slipped over the water
could be seen Jack, Ed and Walter.
"Well!" called Jack. "I like that! Where did you get the--ocean
liner, Cora?"
"Don't say anything about the accident," she had a chance to whisper
to the girls before replying to her brother. "I found my boat tied
up at the dock," she answered gaily. "Isn't she a beauty?"
"What are you going to call her?" asked Walter.
"The Whirlpool, I guess," replied Cora, "that would go nicely with
my Whirlwind, don't you think?"
"Oh, no, don't," objected Belle. "I should always feel that we were
going to be--"
"Whirlpooled?" finished Jack. "Better make her the Petrel, Cora,
for two reasons. We bought it from Mr. Peters, and she can walk on
the water like the old original sea-fowl. Just see how she does
saunter along."
"All right. Petrel will do, but it will be Pet for short," said
Cora as now she allowed the boat to drift a little way from beside
the boys' canoe.
"What was the matter with the steamer folks?" asked Ed. "Thought I
heard something as we passed."
"Yes, you might have heard them talking about us if your ears had on
their long distance," replied Cora quickly. "The Blakes are
aboard."
"I saw their trunks at the station," said Jack "and they were tagged
to The Burrow."
"That's the hole in the hill, isn't it?" asked Walter. "Well, I'm
glad they have come up--the Benny Blakeses. I like a lot of folks
around here. It is apt to have a depressing effect upon me if
company is scarce and fishing shy."
"Or weather wet," put in Ed. "But say, Cora, I'd like to try the
Pet." He remembered he was in a blue bathing suit, ever the most
appropriate costume for a canoe. "But I'll wait until later, though
I hate to. We have, as a matter of fact, an engagement at Far
Island. Have you heard?"
"No, what?" asked the girls in chorus.
"Just a suspicion yet, but it may be true. We think--shall we give
it away boys?"
"No; sell it," suggested Jack. "They sold us on this first trip,
why should we give them anything?"
"Oh, Jack! You know I expected you to take me out the first time,"
said Cora reproachfully.
"Yes, and you know all about a boat, and start out without giving a
fellow the slightest warning."
"But why didn't you come up when you knew the boat had arrived?"
questioned the sister.
"Because--but that was what Ed was going to give away. It's a
mysterious secret, and it is situated on Far Island. So long girls,
I suppose you know how to land."
"Oh, yes indeed," said Cora in spite of the protest that was
trembling on Belle's lips. "We started out, and we will get back
all right. Wish you luck in whatever you are after," and she winked
at Bess, who was now beside her at the engine, as Cora had concluded
to guide the boat by the auxiliary steering wheel.
The boys veered off.
"I wonder what they are up to?" asked Cora. "As soon as we can do
so, without being noticed, I think we will follow them. There must
have been something important on, when Jack did not wait to take me
out."
"Oh, don't let us go farther out on the lake," begged Belle. "I am
nervous yet."
"Then suppose we take you in? Nettie is at the camp, and then Bess
and I can go out to the island. There was really nothing the matter
with the boat, the mistake was all due to our own nervousness."
"Well, I would feel better not to sail any farther," admitted the,
pretty blond Belle, as she tossed back some of her breeze stray
curls. "I am subject to sickness on the water, anyhow."
"On still water?" asked Bess archly. "Well, we will take you in,
Twiny. And we will then go out. I want to redeem myself."
"Good for you, Bess," said Cora. "There is nothing like courage,
unless it be gasoline," and after starting the engine, she turned
the boat toward the shore. "There are the boys heading for the
other island!" she exclaimed a moment later.
"They are trying to fool us. I wonder why?" asked Bess. "See,
Belle. There are Nettie and Mary an shore--two of the best maids on
the island. You will be all right with them, won't you, dear?"
"Of course," replied the twin, rather confusedly. "I don't need
attention."
"But you are tired," put in Cora, "and those girls have not done a
thing since lunch time. Just command them."
"'Very well. But do be careful, you two girls. A bad beginning you
know."
"Oh, don't you worry about us," replied Cora confidently. "I feel
as if this boat was a top in my hands. It is so much easier to
handle than an auto. No gears, differentials or things like that.
Good bye, Belle. Have supper ready when we return," and she sounded
the small whistle that told of the start again.
"Good bye. Be careful," cautioned Belle. Then the two girls headed
the craft for the little island around which they had just seen the
boys disappear.
"I thought the boys looked very serious," said Bess, as she put her
hand on the wheel Beside Cora's. "I wonder what is wrong?"
"Jack certainly had something very important on when he neglected
me," said his sister. "I hope there is nothing really wrong. There
are no people on that island, I believe."
"Then perhaps we had better not land?" suggested Bess. "It might be
horribly lonely and we might not be able to find the boys."
"Well, when we get there we will be able to judge of all that,"
replied Cora. "Doesn't the Petrel motor beautifully?"
"And this lake," added Bess. "I never saw anything like it. Why
some of those islands are big enough to inhabit."
"Yes, there is one island over there," answered Cora, pointing to
the extreme eastern shore of the water, "and since I have seen it I
am just dying to explore it. They call it Fern Island, and the
store man tells the most wonderful tales about it. But we will have
to wait until we all assemble. When did Hazel say she would come?"
"Tomorrow or next day. She has to take some special 'exams.' I am
sorry that girl is so ambitious. It always interferes with her
vacation."
"Hazel will make her mark some day, if she does not spoil it all by
having someone make it for her--on a flat stone. But honestly Bess,
I do hope she will come up before the others. Next to you and Belle
I count more on Hazel Hastings than on anyone else in our party."
"And not a little on her brother Paul?" and Bess laughed in her
teasing way. "Now Cora, Paul Hastings is acknowledged to be the
most useful boy in all the Chelton set. He can fix an auto, fix an
electric bell, fix an alarm clock--"
"And no doubt could overhaul a motor boat," finished Cora, as she
turned the Petrel toward land. "Well, this is Far Island, and I am
sure the boys headed this way. Let's shout."
Putting her hands to her mouth, funnel fashion, Cora sent out the
shrill yodel known to all of the motor girls and motor boys. Bess
took up the refrain; but there was no answer.
"If they were ashore wouldn't their boat be about?" asked Bess. "We
can see all this side of the island, but you said it was too rocky
to land on the other shore."
Cora looked about. Yes, one edge was all sandy and the other rocks.
If the boys had come ashore they must have done so from the north
side.
"My, what a lot of boats!" exclaimed Bess. "Cora, just see that
flock," and she pointed to a distant flotilla of various craft
across the lake.
"Yes, and so many canoes, we could hardly tell the boys in that
throng. Do you suppose they are in that parade?"
"Oh, no. They had only bathing suits on, and that really looks like
some fleet," replied Bess. "Yes, see there is their club banner.
My! I had no idea that Cedar Lake boasted of such style."
"We may expect water picnics every day now," said Cora. "But just
see that old man in the rowboat towing that pretty canoe. Do you
suppose he has it for hire?"
"Likely. But how would anyone hire it out here? Why not from
shore?" questioned Bess.
"Well, perhaps he is taking it to the dock," and Cora allowed her
boat to touch the island shore. "At any rate if we are to find the
boys we had better be at it, for I want to start back before that
throng of boats gets in my way. I feel sure enough, but I like
room."
Both girls stepped ashore as Cora caught the boat hook in the strong
root of a tree and pulled the craft in. Then she shouted again.
"Jack! Jack!" she called. "Isn't it lonely here," she said
suddenly, realizing that while she had expected the boys to be on
the island, they might have gone to any of the other bits of land.
"Yes," said Bess. "I never felt so far away from everything before.
On an island it is so different from being on real shore!"
"Yes, it is farther out," and Cora laughed at the description.
"Bess, I guess I was mistaken. The boys do not seem to be here."
"Then do let's go back," pleaded Bess. "I am actually afraid."
"Of what? Not those 'jug-er-umms.' Just hear them. You would
think the frogs were trying to drive us away from their territory."
"I always did hate the noise they make," declared Bess. "It sounds
like a dead, dark night. Why do they croak in the daytime?"
"Night is coming," Cora explained, "and besides, it is so quiet here
they do not have to wait for nightfall. But listen! Didn't you
hear those dry leaves rustle?"
"Oh Cora, come!" and Bess pulled at her friend's skirt. "It may be
a great--snake."
Cora stood and listened. "No," she said, "that was no snake. It
sounded like something running."
"Come on, Cora dear," begged Bess, so that Cora was obliged to
agree. "See, all the boats have gone the other way. And if
anything happened we might just as well be on this desert island as
on that desert water."
They had not ventured far into the wood, so that it was but a few
steps back to the boat. Cora loosened the bow line and presently
the engine was chugging away.
"Oh," sighed Bess, "I felt as if something dreadful was going to
happen. Ever since those gypsies took you, Cora, I am actually
afraid of everything in the country. It did seem safe on the water,
but in those woods--"
"Now, Bess dear, you are to forget all about the gypsies. I have
almost done so--that is, I have forgotten all the unpleasant part.
Of course, I occasionally hear from Helka. Do you want to steer,
Bess?"
"I would rather not," confessed Bess, "for I am actually trembling.
Where do you suppose the boys could have gone?"
"Haven't the least idea, and we have no more time to speculate.
There! Didn't you hear a strange noise on the island? I declare,
that store man must be right. Those islands are haunted!"
"Wasn't that a queer noise! Oh! I am so glad we are safe in our
boat," and Bess breathed a sigh of relief. "I would have died if
that noise happened while we were there."
"But I should like to know what it is, and I will never be satisfied
until I find out," declared Cora. "That was neither bird nor
beast--it was human."
But the motor boat, girls headed straight for shore--the sun seemed
falling into the lake as they reached the camp to be welcomed by
Belle. The story of the trip to the island and the disappearance of
the boys was quickly told.