ls for help. Now there was one approaching, that was
evident.

"All together, now!" called Jack, and they united their voices in a
shout.

"There are her lights!" called Dray.

"Yes, and she's heading right over here," agreed Ed.

A little later the red and green lights came nearer.

Then, as the craft surged up to the stalled Dixie, and came to a stop,
the engine still running with the clutch thrown out, a voice asked:

"Do you fellows want a tow?"

"Do we?" came in a chorus. "We don't want anything any more."

"Fling us your rope," was the curt order.

Unexpected help had arrived. But it was too late.

CHAPTER XXIV

DENNY'S SOLILOQUY

"What shall we do?" asked Cora, in a whisper.

"It _is_ rather a puzzle," admitted Bess.

The motor girls were standing outside Denny Shane's cabin, looking in
on him as he sat at his ease, with the red oar over his knees.

"He doesn't seem to be in any danger," went on Cora.

"No, those men either haven't harmed him, or they haven't arrived
yet," returned Belle.

"Oh, but suppose they should come while we are here?" suggested
Marita, shrinking against Cora.

"Don't go to supposing such uncanny things," objected Cora, as she put
her arm about the other. "Are you afraid?"

"I don't know," was the hesitating answer. "I suppose one ought to be
afraid, coming at night to a cabin where some horrible men are
expected. And yet, somehow, I don't seem to be," replied Marita. "I
know I would have been a few months ago, but since I have met you
girls, and seen the things you do, why it's queer, but really I--I
rather like it!" and she laughed.

"See what your influence has done," whispered Cora.

They had all spoken in low tones, for Denny was sometimes sharp of
hearing, and they did not want to arouse him.

The girls were really puzzled, not only at the peaceful surroundings
at Denny's cabin, but at the absence of the boys. Of course they could
not know that Jack and the others had been there and gone, not finding
Denny at home. Nor did they know anything of the note left pinned to
the door.

"Do you suppose it could all be over?" asked Lottie.

"All over? What do you mean?" asked Cora.

"I mean could the men have been here, and been captured by the boys
and taken to jail?"

"Oh, it's possible, but not very probable," returned Cora. "They
surely would have managed to get some word to us if anything like that
had happened."

"But what are we going to do?