"Well, good-bye then, and good luck. I"ll be at the dock ahead of you."
"Isn"t he the quaintest old man?" asked Belle as the little party hurried along. Then she added: "You and Freda made quite a visit. We began to think you were kidnapped."
"We did make a stay," agreed Cora, "but Denny is a very old friend of Freda"s family, and, to tell you the truth, we could hardly break away when he started in to tell sea-yarns. Ouch! The mud is deep. I guess we must be near the Lonely Willow."
"There it is!" exclaimed Belle, who was somewhat in advance of the others. "Indeed, it does stand all alone."
"Isn"t it scary here!" whispered Bess. "See those two men under the Willow."
All eyes were turned to the big tree. Two men were seated on a branch that made a comfortable seat. As the girls approached one of the men wrapped some papers up and thrust them into his pocket. But the movement was not lost on the girls.
No word was spoken for a few moments. Belle dropped back a little as if to allow the others to face the strangers first. Of course Cora, always being the leader, boldly made her way along.
They had to pa.s.s almost under the tree to reach the path, but there was no halting once the girls started out.
Finally they had pa.s.sed in perfect safety, but as they were almost out of earshot one of the men said:
"I thought she"d be with him--that old Denny!"
The rest of the remark was lost, but this fragment served to put Cora on her guard.
CHAPTER VI
THE "CHELTON"
"Oh, isn"t it exciting?" cried Marita, who had managed to have Jack help her over the dunes on the way to the dock.
"You"re right!" replied Jack, surveying her "nautical" outfit.
"Couldn"t beat it."
"Silly! I mean going for the cruise."
"Oh, I thought you meant that rig you"re wearing. It is most becoming, but I hope it won"t get wet."
"Oh, the water won"t hurt it. I got it on that account. I think the girls" maroon sweaters look dandy--they can be seen for such a distance."
"Yes, I suppose togs have something to do with a good time, although I must say Cora doesn"t seem to give much time to hers. Look at Marita in white. She looks like a French doll."
"Oh, she is the cutest thing!" replied Lottie, in her gushing way.
"But Cora is simply stunning! Just see how she stands out in the crowd."
Lottie and Jack strolled through the moss-padded path that led to the white sands of Tangle Turn, talking in this vein as they went. It was indeed a merry crowd, and well worth noticing, as was evinced by the number of curious spectators already a.s.sembled on the dock to which the _Chelton_ was tied.
"Who"s the man?" asked Jack, espying a striking figure in the throng.
"Oh, that"s Uncle Denny; don"t you know him? He is the dearest----"
"Now, Lottie, I can see his bald head under his cap at this distance without marine gla.s.ses, and it"s a rule of the club that "dears" have special advantages in the matter of healthy heads of hair. But, of course, if you wish to call him "dear"----"
"Jack, you are the greatest tease," she pouted.
Bess, Belle and Cora had already reached the motor boat. Denny was proudly "looking her over," pipe in mouth and hands in pockets. The girls were bustling about, all enthusiasm, while the boys, a.s.suming an air of importance, found many points to investigate.
"Now take seats," called Cora, "we are ready to push off. Lottie, don"t lean overboard."
"Oh, I am watching the cutest little fish. See, Bess," she exclaimed.
Ed was on the dock with the rope loose from the cleat. Cora was at the steering wheel, while Denny insisted on turning the fly wheel, as that seemed about the most difficult thing to do. The gasoline was turned on, Jack attending to that, and as Denny gave the fly wheel a vigorous turn, Ed pushed off and jumped into the boat. The "push" sent the _Chelton_ out in the water, but the motor failed to do its duty. Again Denny tried, but still no response. As this is not unusual with any motor, whether new or old, all hands waited patiently.
"Oh, there"s the _Dixie_!" called Lottie, jumping up and waving to an approaching boat.
At that instant the _Chelton_ started with a jerk, and there was a chorus of screams.
"Lottie"s overboard!" cried the girls.
"Overboard!" repeated the boys.
"Quick!" begged Cora. "She may sink!"
To bring the boat to a sudden stop was not an easy matter, and there were some moments of suspense before the _Chelton_ pa.s.sed safely to the other side of the spot where Lottie was struggling.
The water was not so deep but that she was able to scramble to her feet, but the wash of the boat forced her to work violently to keep her head above water.
"The rope!" called Cora, who had dashed from her position at the steering wheel to the side of the boat where the mooring rope had been dropped. In the excitement, of course, all crowded to one side of the small craft, which caused it to careen alarmingly.
"There! There!" shouted Ed. "Lottie, grab the rope!"
"Oh, I can"t," came the rather weak and shaky reply. "I can"t reach it."
By this time the _Dixie_, the innocent cause of the accident, was alongside. Drayton Ward, the wealthy young fellow who could boast of a motor boat that would have aroused comment even at Newport, leaned over the side and grasped the arm of the girl in the water. The rest was a simple matter, for soon Lottie was a.s.sisted over the rail of the _Dixie_, and was in the finest boat on Crystal Bay.
"What do you think of that?" gasped Bess into Cora"s ear.
"Clever!" replied Cora, simply.
"But the togs?" queried Jack, to whom the accident had seemed something of a joke.
"What a pity," returned Belle, "and she did look so sweet!"
All this time the drenched girl was being most carefully looked after by the gallant captain of the _Dixie_. He was seeing to it that she did not suffer from a chill, for a big coat had been wrapped around her and her pretty white cap that had merrily floated off was now replaced by one marked "Dixie." Altogether, for a mere Summer dip, Lottie was having a magnificent time, as Ed took pains to observe.
"Oh, I can"t go with you now!" called Lottie. "Mr. Ward has kindly offered to take me home."
There was a pause after that remark. If Lottie went back to the bungalow it seemed only reasonable that someone should go with her.