The Meadow-Brook Girls Afloat; Or, the Stormy Cruise of the Red Rover

air and brought out the fragrance of green leaves and flowers. When the sun came out next morning every leaf and petal was glistening, birds were si

y sharpened to cause them to hurry the breakfast with all possible speed. They ate under the light of the lamp that hung from the cabin ceiling. Had the foliage not been so

ason, and started out on their deferred exploring trip about the island. Exclamations of delight were frequent. The island was full of rocky nooks and

ar old dad were here! Wouldn't he want to buy this island? I'm going to a

e to explore this mornin

nodded, as they strolled about,

ere. And then they came upon the remains of a campfire, but it was a small

s while we're here,

ish!" lau

d girls began to retrace thei

d take a look out over the lake," p

amer was passing in the middle of the lake. Feeling quite certain that they were in no danger of being disc

uddenly springing to her feet, then c

some confusion, not stopping to ask

"A motor boat coming! Do you think

eading straight for the island, and we must

the bushes, watching the app

" announced Miss

up, and sta

ve to creep across that open space there. I think they can see it from the lake. If they are coming

pose of looking it over. When they had come as close as they cared to run they turned the boat sharply

the other side of the island," declared Ha

n that island. There were many other islands in the lake,

hey are over there

Billy Gordon. "It's a jolly place, though. We'll come over here

ouse we saw yesterd

t half way down," answered Gordon. "

mouth of it when they sighted the motor boat on that side of the island. The girls saw it head straight for the pier where Harriet had landed the pr

Billy, returned to the mo

out anything

es

wrong?" as

e last night. The queer thing about it is that the woman up there saw the 'Red Rover' lying

tow. Don't you tumbl

ere

t up. I d

can't be far away, or the girls wou

ere they the

er we would come back later in the day, and, if she saw either of the girls in the meantime, to tell them that we wished to k

ht, so what's the use i

t old scow. It is likely to spring a leak and go down any old time,

the chance," jeered Sam. "W

we are out we'll make inquiries. Some one may have seen the boat. It p

en it if it had be

place along the shore where they co

hook hi

l the way around it yesterday. It is my opi

myself. But we'll beat them

urned George. "You ought to have seen the way they won that walking matc

t's the use in bothering a

et the best of us every time," returned

grinned Billy. "We're one trick ahead." All the boys excep

y smart, but I'm telling you that we may not be as smart

se that it had on the previous day. This time it crept along still closer to the Island of Delight. The girls, who were watching it, crouched

e Tramp Club boys passed by the entrance to the anchorage of

iet. "Who is going along? Tommy, I'll take you, Hazel and Margery

e landing where less than half an hour before the boys' boat had been

ey are going to get another surprise, girls. Oh, we'll win that camera, won't we?

want to thee uth aga

something to tell us," re

it?" aske

am sure it is so. I wonder if they will get

of the after deck protruding from the mouth of the cave. There was no more exploring that day. They did not dare get too far away from their hidden home, fearing lest the boys might come upon them unawares. Every boat on the lake in the vi

searching along the lake the greater part of the afternoon for information about the "Red Rover," but wi

ladies?" he asked the instant the doo

es, I've heard from them," replied the woman, with a tw

What have

ere very shortly after

o much. Did they say where they wer

n shook

must be

farmer's wife did not know exactly where th

ou seen th

ce the o

and it," pondered George. "Did

uzzled look on Baker's face. "The young lady left word

mly, pulling his hat down over his eyes. "The

keptically, when he heard o