first discovered Madge's absence. Just
before daylight she awakened with the feeling that some one had stolen
into her stateroom, for she was dreaming of her lost money. Miss Betsey
sat straight up in bed and looked about her small cabin. There was no
one to be seen.

"Miss Betsey," called Miss Jenny Ann from the berth above, "what is the
matter?" Nor would Miss Jones go back to sleep until she had explored
the houseboat thoroughly.

As she stole into the next cabin where the girls slept she noticed that
Madge was not in her bed. She must have heard the same noise that had
disturbed Miss Betsey, and gone to investigate the cause. But Miss Jenny
Ann could not ascertain the cause of the noise nor did she find Madge on
the decks. She aroused Phil and they sought for her together. Then
Eleanor and Lillian joined them, and Miss Betsey, a prey to curiosity,
came forth to find out what all the commotion was about.

It took a very brief space of time to examine the entire houseboat. The
girls held the lanterns and scurried about, calling "Madge!" It seemed
incredible that she did not answer.

Tom was the first of the boys on the motor launch to be disturbed by the
unusual sounds from the "Merry Maid." His first thought was fire. With a
cry to the other boys on the "Sea Gull" he rushed to the houseboat. But
the appearance of the five young men, who had come to join in the search
for the lost Madge, merely added to the confusion. They tumbled over one
another, and as they were half asleep, most of them did not know what or
whom they were looking for.

"Come on, Brewster," commanded Tom Curtis, "it is absurd to think that
Miss Morton can be anywhere near and not have heard us. It may be she
became restless and went for a little walk on the shore; let us look
there."

David and Tom crept along the river bank, their eyes turned to the
ground. They detected Madge's footprints leading away from the launch
and then returning to the houseboat. The revelation only added to the
mystery.

There was one thought in the minds of the seekers. Could Madge have
walked in her sleep and fallen over into the water? The river was
shallow along the bank, but she might have been borne by the current out
into the stream. It did not seem a very probable idea. But then, no one
had any possible explanation to offer for the little captain's vanishing
into the night like this. No one had yet seen that the rowboat, too, was
missing.

It was an hou