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The girls were over the side of the boat in a hurry, swimming about in the water with gleeful shouts. The odor of frying bacon, which was presently wafted to their nostrils from the door of the houseboat kitchen, was something the bathers were too hungry to resist, and with one accord, they swam toward their boat.
"Now," said George, after they had started on their return voyage, "is there any place you wish to go?" "I want as soon as possible to get back to the boat and discuss with the girls what is to be done," answered Harriet. "Well, can we help you? Is there anywhere you wish us to tow your houseboat?" "Let me see," pondered Captain Burrell, "I think I should like to get out of that cove.
"What ho, my hearty?" questioned Phil, coming to her assistance. "What do you intend to do with this tree?" "Kindly refer to your 'Robinson Crusoe' and your 'Swiss Family Robinson' and you will know. We must make a kind of raft, so that we can go back and forth to the houseboat without getting wet every time we go aboard."
It was fortunate he had not done so, he reflected, since the hulk was now required for very different purposes. Jimson, a man of inconspicuous costume, but insinuating manners, had little difficulty in finding the hireling who had charge of the houseboat, and still less in persuading him to resign his care.
He leaned forward, listening intently for any sounds of life aboard the houseboat. He had espied the deserted figure on the upper deck. In almost complete silence the man fastened his boat to the houseboat and in his stocking feet clambered up the side of "The Merry Maid" and came aboard. He slipped around the deck, crouching on his hands and knees.
It was in vain that the houseboat party and Captain Jules tried to keep the affair a secret. There were necessary arrangements to be made, men to be engaged to assist in the diving operations; it was impossible to deny everything. At first the plan seemed to outsiders like mere midsummer madness. Then the story began to grow.
"That's all nonsense!" said Mr. Bobbsey, sharply. "I've told you we don't know where he is, and haven't seen him since you tried to horsewhip him. That ought to be enough." "Wa'al, we'll see," was the growling answer, as the mean farmer turned away. The houseboat kept on, until it was well past Mr. Hardee's land, and then, in a pleasant part of the creek, it was tied to the bank.
From down the lake a canoe was coming, propelled swiftly and silently by a pair of muscular arms. The canoe, if it continued on its present course, would hit the "Red Rover" fairly on its nose. But just before reaching the houseboat, the canoe veered to one side a little and the paddle trailed the water behind. The canoe glided along to one side of the "Red Rover," then stopped.
Anderson Rover was much interested in what they had to say about the Baxters and Lew Flapp. "You must be careful," said he. "Arnold Baxter can do you no more harm, but the others will be worse than snakes in the grass." "We'll watch out," answered Dick, and then he and the others asked about the houseboat which had been taken for debt and how soon they could use the craft.
Then, with some bits of bread or cake, which Dinah gave them to eat, in case they were "shipwrecked," they had fine times. Meanwhile, Bert and Nan had asked permission of their mother to go over to where some of their boy and girl friends lived, so they were prepared to have a good time, too. "Oh, but what fun we'll have on the houseboat, won't we, Bert?" said Nan.
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