Part 34 (1/2)
”A dozen if you like, Belle.”
”And you'll promise not to go outside the bay--you'll stay where it's calm?”
”I promise!” exclaimed Cora, raising her right hand.
Rosalie came out of the lighthouse in her bathing suit.
”That girl fairly lives in the water,” said Eline.
”If I could swim as she does I would too,” spoke Bess.
”h.e.l.lo!” called Rosalie, genially. ”Isn't it lovely after the storm?”
”Yes,” said Cora. ”Have they heard anything more about the missing girl?”
”No. And no one seems to know who she was. Are you going for a spin?”
”We thought of it. Would you like to come?”
”I'd just love it! Only I haven't time to change, perhaps, and I don't want to----”
”Come just as you are--in your bathing suit,” invited Cora, and Rosalie did.
The boys must have finished pressing their trousers, or attending to whatever part of the personal attire needed attention, for when the girls got back to the float, and were getting the _Pet_ in shape for a spin, Jack and Ed hurried down to look over the _Duck_. Both boats needed pumping out, for the water had rained in, and Walter and Norton were good enough to attend to this tiresome work for the girls.
Soon the two craft were moving over the sparkling waters of the Cove, which seemed to be trying to make up for what the sea had done the day before.
The boats kept close together, and talk and gay laughter pa.s.sed back and forth. Then Jack and his chums, declaring they were going to see how far out toward the sea they could venture with safety, speeded up and left Cora and the girls in the _Pet_ somewhat behind. But they did not mind--in fact, Belle insisted on keeping in safe waters. Nor was Cora averse to this.
The girls had been cruising about for perhaps an hour when Eline called:
”What is that over there?”
She pointed to a dark ma.s.s on the surface of the bay. Rosalie stood up to look.
”It's a lot of spars lashed together,” she reported. ”A sort of raft.
Maybe it is from the wrecked vessel.”
”Then if it's a raft there is some one on it!” cried Eline.
CHAPTER XXIV
SAFE ASh.o.r.e
”It's a girl!”
It was Cora who said this as the motor boat drew close to the floating logs.