re from Mr.
Stonington's orange grove, and Mr. Hammond----"

"There, I knew you'd make a mess of it, Bill!" said the other man--the
one who had first spoken--and he turned accusingly to his companion.

"Well, I don't care--why don't they answer? I'll wager they've seen that
fellow and won't tell."

"Why shouldn't they tell?" asked the first man in a low voice, but he
forgot how well even low tones carry over the water. "They are strangers
here I am certain. They can't know 'The Loon,' and so we're perfectly
safe in questionin' 'em."

"Yes, but they won't answer. Git over closer and maybe we can make 'em!"

"Oh!" gasped Grace, startled.

"They'd better not try!" cried Mollie with a sparkle in her eyes. "We're
not very far from home, and this boat can go twice as fast as theirs."

"Don't be alarmed," said Betty. "I've got some speed in reserve yet."

The men consulted together again. They had put their boat about now, and
were coming down after the _Gem_. But it was easy to see they had no
speed.

"I say!" called out the man who had first hailed. "Won't you tell us if
you've seen a ragged lad in a boat? We don't mean any harm. Just stop a
minute!"

"We have no time!" said Betty sharply, "and if you persist in following
us----"

"Say, look here!" blustered the second man, "if you gals don't----"

"Now let up on that line, Bill!" cautioned the other. "We don't mean any
harm," he proceeded. "My friend here is a bit rough----"

"I'm no rougher than you!" retorted his companion.

"We're willing to pay for the information," went on the first man. "It
won't take but a minute----"

But Betty stayed to hear no more. She opened wide the throttle of her
motor, and the _Gem_ shot ahead, leaving the other craft far behind.
There was some evidence in the quicker staccato exhaust of the pursuing
boat that the occupants tried to get more speed out of her, but they
failed, and a little later Amy, turning around, saw them circling back
up stream.

One man stood up and shook his fist vindictively at the girls. Grace
gasped as she saw this.

"Oh, I am sure they mean us some harm!" she cried.

"Nonsense!" asserted Betty. "We're far enough off now."

"But if we come out again?" Amy suggested.

"I think we will take one of the young men from the orange crate
factory," suggested Mollie. "Mr. Hammond will spare us one, I'm sure,
and it would be too bad if we had to give up our trips on the river just
because some men are