But Miss Jenny Ann looked straight at Phyllis. She knew that Phil meant
something more than mere idle talk by her speech. Evidently she had
been considering the situation.

"You see, we have had a wonderful time. Except for our worry about our
families we have had the very jolliest lark of our lives. But now we
must go back home."

Phil clasped her hands together and closed her lips. "I mean that we
must spend every single minute of our time and thought in arranging to
get away from here."

"What are we to do, Phil?" asked Madge. "We have already tried every
method."

"For one thing, we must find some better way to signal passing ships at
sea. They must be going by this island constantly, only they do not
come near enough to see us. Sometimes I believe we will just have to go
aboard the 'Merry Maid' again and drift out from shore," concluded
Phil.

Eleanor shivered. "We would be taking too great a chance."

"I wasn't advising it, Nellie. I was just thinking that we might have
to do it, if we can't get away by any other means. We would be almost
sure to meet a ship. Of course, we could never be on the water as long
a time as we were before without being seen. The other time it was just
a strange accident, due to the storm and the fog, I suppose."

The girls and Miss Jenny Ann frowned thoughtfully. Somehow Phil's idea
did not seem to be very pleasing.

It was just such a night as the one on which the pretty houseboat had
been cut adrift. The room was still, except for the crackling of the
fire. The noises were all on the outside. The owls hooted dismally in
the near-by trees. Farther off in the forest sounded the screech of a
wildcat. The rain poured down.

A sudden, violent knocking began on the front door of the lodge. It was
uncanny--terrifying. Not a single time since the houseboat party came
to the lodge in the woods had a hand knocked at their door. To-night,
in the heart of a storm, the sound of the blows upon the door filled
them with dread.

Miss Jenny Ann rose with shaking knees. Instead of opening the door she
quietly pushed her chair against it. It was a feeble barrier. The door
was closed only by a wooden latch, which Phil had made.

The banging continued. "Who's there?" Miss Jenny Ann demanded.

There was no reply. Phil came over and stood by her chaperon's side.

"Tell us who it is at the door and we will open to you. We can not open
to a stranger," she declared.

Still the stupid beating