The Outdoor Girls at Rainbow Lake Part 15

"That is, if the ghost doesn't make it too unpleasant," remarked Betty.

They ate supper aboard the boat, cooking on the little galley stove.

Then the work of getting ready for the night, washing the dishes, preparing the bunks, and so on, was divided among the five, though Aunt Kate wanted the girls to go ash.o.r.e and let her attend to everything.

"We'll take a little walk ash.o.r.e after we have everything ready,"

suggested Betty. The stroll along the river bank in the cool of the evening, while the colors of the glorious sunset were still in the sky, was most enjoyable.

"Gracious! A mosquito bit me!" exclaimed Grace, as she rubbed the back of her slim, white hand.

"That isn't a capital crime," laughed Mollie.

"No, but if there are mosquitoes here they will make life miserable for us to-night," Grace went on.

"I have citronella, and there are mosquito nettings over the bunks,"

said Betty. "Don't worry."

They went back to the boat, and the lanterns were lighted.

"Oh, doesn't it look too nice to sleep in!" exclaimed Amy, as they gazed into the little cabin, with its tastefully arranged berths.

"I'm tired enough to sleep on almost any thing," yawned Mollie. "Let's see who'll be the first to---- "

"Not snore, I hope!" exclaimed Betty.

"Don't suggest such a thing," came from Amy. "We are none of us addicted to the luxury."

But, after all, tired as they were, no one felt like going to sleep, once they were prepared for it. They talked over the events of the day, got to laughing, and from laughing to almost hysterical giggling.

But finally nature a.s.serted herself, and all was quiet aboard the Gem, which had been moored to a private dock, just above the town.

It was Betty, rather a light sleeper, who awoke first, and she could not account at once for the peculiar motion. It was as though she was swinging in a hammock. She sat up, and peered about the dimly lighted cabin. Then the remembrance of where she was came to her.

"But-- but!" she exclaimed. "We're adrift! We're floating down the river!"

She sprang from her berth and awakened Grace by shaking her.

CHAPTER XI

IN DANGER

"What is it? Oh, what has happened?"

Grace cried half hysterically as she saw Betty bending over her. The others awakened.

"Why, we're moving!" exclaimed Amy, in wonderment.

"What did you want to start off for, in the middle of the night?"

Mollie asked, blinking the sleep from her eyes.

"I didn't," answered Betty quickly. "We're adrift! I don't know how it could have happened. You girls tied the boat, didn't you?"

"Of course," answered Grace. "I fastened both ropes myself."

"Never mind about that," broke in Aunt Kate. "I don't know much about boats, but if this one isn't being steered we may run into something."

"That's so!" cried Betty. "But I didn't want to go out on deck alone-- slip your raincoats on, girls, and come with me! There may be-- I mean some one may have set us adrift purposely!"

"Oh, don't say such things!" pleaded Grace, looking at the cabin ports as though a face might be peering in.

Quickly Betty and Mollie got into their long, dark coats, and without waiting for slippers reached the after deck. As they looked ahead they saw a bright light bearing directly for them. It was a white light, and on either side showed a gleam of red and green. Then a whistle blew.

"Oh, we're going to be run down!" cried Mollie. "A steamer is coming directly for us, Betty!"

"We won't be run down if we can get out of the way!" exclaimed Betty, sharply. "Push that b.u.t.ton-- the automatic, I mean-- and start the motor. I'll steer," and Betty grasped the wheel with one hand, while with the other she pulled the signal cord, sending out a sharp blast that indicated her direction to the oncoming steamer would be to port.

The steamer replied, indicating that she would take the same course.

Evidently there was some misunderstanding.

"And we haven't our side lamps going!" cried Betty, in alarm, as she realized the danger. "Quick, girls, come up here!" she called to Grace and Amy. "One of you switch on the electric lamps. At least they can see us, then, and can avoid us. Oh, I don't know what to do! I never thought of this!"

A sudden glow told that Amy had found the storage battery switch, for the red and green lights now gleamed. Again the on-coming steamer whistled, sharply-- interrogatively. Betty answered, but she was not sure she had given the right signal.

"Why don't you start the motor?" she called to Mollie.

"I can't! It doesn't seem to work."

"The switch is off!" exclaimed Grace, as she came out of the cabin.

With a quick motion she shoved it over.

"How stupid of me!" cried Betty. "I should have seen to that first.

Try again, Mollie!"

Again Mollie pressed the b.u.t.ton of the self-starter, but there was no response. The Gem was still drifting, seemingly in the very path of the steamer.

"Why don't they change their course?" wailed Amy. "Can't they see we're not under control? We can't start! We can't start!" she cried at the top of her voice, hoping the other steersman would hear.

"The steamer can't get out of the channel-- that's the reason!" gasped Betty. "I see now. It's too shallow for big boats except in certain places here. We must get out of her way-- she can't get out of ours!

Girls, we must start the motor!"

"Then try it with the crank, and let the automatic go," suggested Aunt Kate, practically. "Probably it's out of order. You must do something, girls!"

"Use the crank!" cried Betty, who was hobbling the wheel over as hard as she could, hoping the tug of the current would carry the Gem out of danger. But the craft hardly had steerage way on.

Mollie seized the crank, which, by means of a long shaft and sprocket chain, extending from the after cabin bulkhead to the flywheel, revolved that. She gave it a vigorous turn. There was no welcome response of throbbing explosions in the cylinders.

"Try again!" gasped Betty, "Oh, all of you try. I simply can't leave the wheel."

The steamer was now sending out a concert of sharp, staccato blasts.

Plainly she was saying, loudly: