The Meadow-Brook Girls Afloat Part 13

"What I cannot understand," continued the guardian, "is how we, who pride ourselves on being woodsmen, trailers and scouts and all the other things, could possibly be carried across a lake, dragged over several miles of water and not know anything about it. Can you explain why we didn't wake up, Harriet Burrell?"

Harriet shook her head.

"And we are anch.o.r.ed just the same as we were last night," remarked Jane. "It's spirits, girls. No mistake about that."

"Now, Jane," laughed Harriet. "You know very well that the mere fact that our anchor was pulled up before we left the other side of the lake, then let down on this side, makes your spirit theory impossible."

"It _wath_ thpookth," declared Tommy. "I thaw one thtanding on the handle of the mop pail latht night after I went to bed. I heard the water thplathh when he jumped in the pail."

"What a marvelous imagination you have," jeered Jane.

"All this talk doesn't help us to solve the mystery," averred Hazel.

"How did we get here?"

"We do not know, but we are going to find out," replied Harriet.

"How?"

"I can't tell you. Something will turn up to give us a clue to this and the other mysteries. I have my suspicions of the Tramp Club in this matter. I am very glad that the rope was not cut, this time, or thrown overboard after being removed from the boat. If the boys are responsible for this, rest a.s.sured they'll be the first to tell us. You know the island that we admired so much from a distance, Miss Elting?

"We are within a mile of it now. After breakfast, with your permission I'll row over," continued Harriet. "I want to see that island at close range. Jane, will you come with me?" Jane was prompt to accept Harriet's invitation. Miss Elting also was invited, but concluded to remain with the other girls on the houseboat.

Harriet and her companion rowed rapidly to the island shortly after breakfast. It was a good sized island, as they discovered by rowing down one side of it, the side nearest to the sh.o.r.e of the mainland near which the houseboat was anch.o.r.ed. The girls rowed in so close that they were able to reach up and touch the foliage overhead and in places it trailed in the water. The island was rocky, still it was heavily wooded. One side of it was popular with picnic parties, but on the side where the girls were few boats ever landed. As they were rowing slowly along the edge, Harriet's eyes were constantly searching the sh.o.r.e.

"This is about what I thought we should find, Jane."

"What are you looking for, dear?"

"I am trying to find a place where we can run the 'Red Rover' in under the trees, and where the boat cannot be seen from the lake on either side of the island."

"You will have to change its color then. Why, in the sunlight you could see that tub fifty miles away."

Harriet did not answer. She had rested on the oars, and was peering over her right shoulder towards the thicket at the sh.o.r.e of the island.

"No, my dear, not where I am going to put the boat provided there is room for it. Do you see that current swirling right into the island there? I saw that from the deck of the 'Red Rover,' this morning, when looking through the gla.s.ses. At least I thought it was a current. The water everywhere else was very still, but a slight discoloration there, as you see it, led me to believe there was a creek running into the island."

"You have sharp eyes, Harriet. But where's your creek? I don't see it,"

laughed Jane.

"Neither do I. There may be no creek there, but if there is, it's going to be a splendid place to hide."

"Hide?" wondered Jane.

"Yes."

"But why should we hide, darlin'?"

"In that way we may be able to get some clue to our unknown enemy,"

nodded Harriet. "If the boys did tow us over here, of course they'll wonder what became of us."

"Do you think our enemy will try to find us?" asked Jane.

"Yes."

"I don't. We'll be wasting our time. The boys won't look for us, here, either."

"Well, here is the creek, at any rate," exclaimed Harriet, swinging the bow of the boat in as she spoke. "And oh, Jane! Look!"

A smooth sheet of dark water was revealed to the eyes of the girls. It was s.h.i.+mmering in the deep shadow of the foliage under which it flowed until it became lost in the shadows of foliage and rocks. Harriet drove her boat in without the least hesitancy. She saw by glancing above her head that there were no heavy limbs of trees hanging over the little waterway. A sounding with the oar developed the fact that there was only about three feet of water in the stream.

"Do you know where you are going, Harriet?" questioned Jane anxiously.

"No. But I don't care. Do you?"

"Not I. I can go where you go. Oh, look at that hole. It's a cave, Harriet, and the stream goes right into it."

"I think you are mistaken, Jane. That looks to me more as if the water had worn an opening in the rocks. The water must have been very high to make such a large opening. Yes. See! The water swirls in at one side of the opening and comes out on the other side, making a sort of horseshoe shape of the cut-out place. Isn't this a place in which to hide, Jane McCarthy?" cried Harriet triumphantly.

"Hurrah! The greatest hiding place in the world."

"And won't the Tramp Club be amazed when they find we are missing?

They'll think their chance of winning the camera is doubtful."

"Perhaps they'll think we're drowned," answered Jane, her eyes sparkling mischievously.

"A little scare will do them good," returned Harriet, the mischievous sparkle appearing in the depths of her brown eyes. "What do you think of it, dear?"

"Fine! It's glorious. We'll have a picnic here. What fun, what fun! And it's such a beautiful place too. What shall we call it?"

"I think we might call it the Island of Delight," answered Harriet, after brief reflection.

"That's the name! Now, let's explore the place."

"Oh, no, not now, Jane. We must go and lay our plan before Miss Elting first. I do not think she will object, but we must ask her, of course, before we make any further arrangements."

"When do you plan to move in here?"

"Just as soon as we are able to get the 'Red Rover' in here. I am in a hurry. The boys are likely to be sailing over here almost any time now.

We must get out of sight before they come near here."

"Hurrah!" shouted Crazy Jane.

"Save your breath. You will need it before we have gotten our big boat in. It is going to be a hard pull to get it through all this foliage and then it is going to be another difficult job to get it out again. When we get those boys on the Island of Delight we are going to give them something to think about," chuckled Harriet. "This time, the Meadow-Brook Girls will score."

"I should like to know how you are going to get them here?" wondered Jane.

"Oh, that is easy. One doesn't even need to think to know how to do that," laughed Harriet Burrell.

Jane regarded her admiringly.