"How are we going to keep the boat in here? It will drift out with the current, will it not?" asked the guardian.

"We will put out the anchor at the other end, giving it a short rope.

That will hold us. The current is not swift."

While she was holding the "Red Rover" in place, Jane and Miss Elting dragged the anchor to the inner end of the opening, put it over and made it fast with a shortened rope.

"There. Now let's sit down and rest our backs," exclaimed Harriet. Her face was red and perspiring. "I'm tired."

"Harriet, you must be tired. You have wonderful endurance," said the guardian.

"Tho am I tired. I'm worn out," declared Tommy.

"Tired? Why, you haven't done a thing, you dear little goose," chuckled Crazy Jane.

"I know that. It maketh me tired to watch you folkth work. Now, what crathy thing are we going to do?"

"After we have rested we are going to explore our Island of Delight.

Won't that be splendid?" questioned Harriet, with glowing eyes. "Just imagine that we are on an unknown, mysterious island. Perhaps there are savages, wild beasts and----"

"And thingth," finished Tommy.

"Yes, and things," agreed Harriet.

"Perhaps there is another phase of this game of hide and seek that you have not thought of, Harriet," pondered Miss Elting. "How are we to get fresh supplies?"

"There are several farmhouses within half an hour's row of us. By going to them early in the evening we shall not be discovered."

Miss Elting nodded. Margery wanted to know how long they were going to stay in that hole in the ground.

"Until you girls get tired of it," answered Harriet good-naturedly. "As I understand our arrangement, we have the privilege of expressing our choice in all matters that come up, Miss Elting's decision being final.

What a glorious place this is!"

"Aren't we going to explore our Island of Delight now?" demanded Jane.

"It is your discovery--yours and Harriet's," was Miss Elting's smiling reply. "Suit yourselves as to exploring it."

"We have time to look about a little before night," answered Harriet.

"It won't be dark for a little while yet."

They were about to start out when the distant chug of a motor boat was heard. "I guess we will not go just yet," she added. "Wait. I'll row down to the mouth and see if it is the Tramp Club's boat."

Harriet paddled part way to the lake edge, then finding the bank accessible, sprang out and crept the rest of the way on sh.o.r.e. She was in time to see a power boat moving slowly past. It was close to the sh.o.r.e of the island. Several young men were aboard. One was standing up, gazing toward the island, one hand shading his eyes. Harriet chuckled when she recognized the standing boy as George Baker. There could be no doubt that the boys were looking for the Meadow-Brook Girls. The watching girl chuckled with delight. Then the thought occurred to her that some way must be found to communicate with the boys soon, so that the latter might know they were safe. Just how that was to be accomplished Harriet did not know. The launch soon pa.s.sed on out of sight.

As a matter of fact, Captain George Baker and his companions were a little disturbed over not finding the "Red Rover." Sam said he had seen the boat that afternoon, and unless it had picked up a tow the houseboat could not be far away. They moved along the sh.o.r.e, peering into each cove on that side of the lake until twilight fell and it was no longer light enough to see into the shadows.

"It's my opinion that those girls will win the wager unless we do some hustling," declared Larry Goheen, when they had once more returned to their camp on the other side of the lake.

"Harriet Burrell is very clever," answered George. "I wish we had gone ash.o.r.e over there near where we last saw the 'Red Rover.' I'll tell you what we'll do. We'll run over there to-morrow and make inquiries of the farmers nearby. We ought at least to get some trace of them."

The boat turned homeward after having encircled the island. Harriet, as soon as the motor boat had pa.s.sed on out of sight, hurried back to her companions.

"Girls! It's the boys," she cried. "They are looking for us. I could see that. They were so close to the island that I could almost have hit them with a stone."

"Provided you could throw straight," interjected Miss Elting.

"Yes. I wouldn't have to be a very good thrower to reach a boat so close as that one was."

"Shall we go exploring now?" asked Margery.

"I don't believe it would be prudent. Those boys are sharp. They may be on the island at this very moment. I don't hear their boat any more,"

replied Harriet.

"We will postpone exploring until to-morrow," announced Miss Elting.

"And now, suppose we get supper? This is a cosy place. I never saw a more delightful nook. To-morrow morning, if the coast be clear, we will look about us. How about the farmhouse?"

"I am going over there as soon as it gets a little darker."

Harriet did not go until after supper, which proved to be one of the most enjoyable meals to which the girls had ever sat down. Their surroundings were so romantic that the situation appealed strongly to each of them. The Meadow-Brook Girls were in high good humor. Later in the evening, Harriet, accompanied by Jane and Hazel, paddled the rowboat out from the island and rowed almost straight across to the sh.o.r.e of the mainland. Hiding their boat in some bushes they made their way to a farmhouse, and there arranged for milk. Harriet had a confidential chat with the woman of the house, who readily agreed to the girl's proposition to a.s.sist in fooling the boys. The woman further agreed to provide them with such supplies as they needed. For such as they took with them the girls paid then and there. Harriet chuckled all the way back to the island. She believed that she had planned in such a way as thoroughly to mystify George Baker and his friends, and at the same time convince the latter that the Meadow-Brook Girls were not in trouble.

Reaching the island they found their companions eagerly awaiting them.

To Miss Elting, Harriet confided her plan. Then, after a happy evening, the houseboat party went to bed, looking forward with keen expectation to what awaited them on the morrow, when Harriet's new plan was to be tried.

CHAPTER X

THEIR SUSPICIONS AROUSED

That night there was a shower. The rain, beating down on the foliage and the end of the houseboat that protruded from the cave, served to freshen the air and brought out the fragrance of green leaves and flowers. When the sun came out next morning every leaf and petal was glistening, birds were singing overhead and the girls uttered exclamations of delight as they ran out in their bathing suits and jumped into the water for their morning baths.

For several moments they splashed about in the shallow water, then, scrambling aboard their houseboat, enjoyed brisk rub downs, after which their appet.i.tes were sufficiently sharpened to cause them to hurry the breakfast with all possible speed. They ate under the light of the lamp that hung from the cabin ceiling. Had the foliage not been so wet they would have permitted the "Red Rover" to drift out from under the rocks, but it was decided that the trees were too wet for this, so they ate in the darkened cave.

Immediately after breakfast they put on their old khaki skirts, that they had worn part of the time on their long tramp across country the previous season, and started out on their deferred exploring trip about the island. Exclamations of delight were frequent. The island was full of rocky nooks and dells; there were numerous wild flowers, while in the great trees that overhung the sh.o.r.e of the island an occasional squirrel whisked back and forth.

"It really is the Island of Delight!" cried Crazy Jane. "How I wish my dear old dad were here! Wouldn't he want to buy this island? I'm going to ask him to come here some day, but I'm afraid he'll say he hasn't the time."

"This island is too large to explore this morning," declared Miss Elting.

"It may take some days," Harriet nodded, as they strolled about, "but it will be delightful work."

On the outer side they discovered evidences that picnic parties had been there. And then they came upon the remains of a campfire, but it was a small one, as though there had been but a solitary camper, and that some time back.

"I hope no one comes while we're here," murmured Margery.

"How selfish!" laughed Hazel.

By seven o'clock the delighted girls began to retrace their steps toward the houseboat.