ooked like a huge flame in the sunlight.

"It doesn't seem possible that such a boat could be lost sight of
anywhere, does it?" questioned Jane brightly, turning to Captain Baker.

"No," he answered gloomily. "And it won't be again."

"You can't tell, you know. It may disappear from the face of the waters
this very night."

George looked at Billy. Jane had given them a hint that they were not
slow to catch. They did not know that she was teasing them for the very
purpose of making their surprise greater when it did come.

The boys left their passengers at the "Red Rover" and then sailed over
to their own camp. The girls were glad to be back. The houseboat had
come to be a real home to them, one that they would be sorry to leave
when their vacation came to an end.

Jane had purchased a dozen colored lanterns in town. As soon as darkness
fell, these were lighted and strung above the upper deck. The interior
was brightly lighted, so that the "Red Rover," that evening, stood out
more prominently than anything else on that part of the lake. Later in
the evening, after having disposed of their work, the girls took out the
new rowboat and rowed slowly round and round the "Red Rover" singing.
The boys came out at that and joined them. Together, the two boats
drifted about until the hour grew late and Miss Elting called to the
girls that it was time to come in. They responded promptly. The boys
rowed up alongside and holding to the gunwale of the "Red Rover,"
chatted for a few moments.

"So long! We will see you in the morning," called George as they pushed
the rowboat off.

"Yes. In the morning--maybe," answered Harriet laughingly.

"It's my opinion that those girls are going to try to play more tricks
to-night," declared Billy, after they had gotten a short distance from
the "Red Rover." He was speaking in a tone louder than he imagined.
Harriet heard every word he said.

"Yes," agreed George. "I'll tell you what we'll do. We'll put a boy on
watch to-night. Then, if they try to run away from us, we will just
follow and give them a surprise. We can't let those girls get the better
of us this time."

That was the last that Harriet heard. They had rowed so far away that
their words were inaudible. But what she had heard was quite sufficient.

"And about those ghosts?" questioned Larry.

"A bluff," scoffed George. "You don't believe in ghosts, do you?"

"Well, I don't know. I have heard of such things," admitted La