Part 31 (2/2)
No wires seemed to have broken, the current was good, the vibrator buzzed when the contact was made and there was plenty of gasoline in the tank.
”Put in a new spark plug,” suggested Jack.
”New ones went in to-day,” answered Dray. ”They can't have sooted already. It isn't there.”
”Give her a little more air,” proposed Walter. ”I think she's getting too rich a gasoline mixture.”
”I'm not going to touch the carbureter!” declared the young owner of the _Dixie_. ”It was trouble enough to get her fixed before. Hand me that talc.u.m.” Gravely he dusted some on the pump rod.
Then another attempt was made to start the motor, but it only sighed dismally, and refused to do its duty.
”I say!” cried Jack, looking up from where he had been examining the carbureter with an electrical pocket flash, ”we're drifting out to sea!”
”So we are!” agreed Ed. ”Say, can't you get her going?”
”Can't seem to,” replied Drayton. ”I'll sell this boat and get another as soon as I can. She's a nuisance!”
”Well, we sure are broken down,” sighed Jack, ”and how we are going to get back to the cabin is more than I can figure out.”
”Let's whistle for help,” suggested Walter.
”Look!” exclaimed Jack, pointing in the direction of sh.o.r.e. ”There's a light in Denny's cabin!”
They all looked, and saw a flickering gleam of fire near the shack that had been deserted all day.
”Something's doing!” cried Ed. ”And we're stuck out here!”
CHAPTER XXII
AT THE CABIN
”Girls,” declared Cora Kimball, ”I can't stand it any longer! I've got to do something--or have nervous prostration.”
”And that's just the way I feel!” said Bess. ”Waiting is the most nervous thing in the world.”
”Have another chocolate,” suggested Lottie, helping herself from the box on a table near her.
”How dare you suggest such a thing?” demanded Bess. ”As if I wasn't trying to do all I could to reduce.”
”Oh, well, I was thinking of your nerves,” observed Lottie.
”But what is it you want to do, Cora, dear?” asked Marita.
”I want to go to Denny's cabin, and see what has happened,” was the answer.
”What!” cried Belle, with an exclamation of surprise and alarm. ”Tramp through the woods at this hour of night?”
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