Part 2 (1/2)
”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 fas.h.i.+on, 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 ash.o.r.e 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 sh.o.r.e.”
Cora looked about. Yes, one edge was all sandy and the other rocks.
If the boys had come ash.o.r.e 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 sh.o.r.e?” questioned Bess.
”Well, perhaps he is taking it to the dock,” and Cora allowed her boat to touch the island sh.o.r.e. ”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 ash.o.r.e 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 sh.o.r.e!”
”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.”