ere startled by the sound of a shrill scream.
They recognized the voice as Tommy's and began to shout, and to row with
all their might. A moment later, just as they were about to turn into
the opening with their boat, a canoe shot out and darted across their
bows, disappearing in the darkness.

"A man, a man!" yelled Tommy as Harriet shouted to know if the two girls
were all right. Tommy threw open the door and in her excitement walked
off the after deck of the "Red Rover" and fell forward into the stream.

"Jane, do you recognize that man?" cried Harriet excitedly.

"Yes," exclaimed Jane, "he's the man I saw this afternoon, and he's our
mysterious enemy too, or my name's not Jane McCarthy."

CHAPTER XXIII

ON A STORMY CRUISE

It was late on the following forenoon when the Meadow-Brook Girls might
have been observed towing the "Red Rover" out from the creek in which it
had been anchored. They decided that it was high time to leave.

During their absence, and while they were frightening the Tramp Club
with sheets draped over sticks and carried high above their heads, Tommy
and Margery had been having an exciting experience. They had been
anxiously peering out of the cabin, when after an hour or so they
discovered a canoe approaching the scow. At first they thought it one of
their own party who was paddling the canoe. They soon discovered that it
was a man. The girls were too frightened to do more than watch him in
almost breathless silence. But when the man climbed aboard the after
deck, after satisfying himself that the boat was deserted, they decided
that it was time to move.

Tommy uttered a scream. Margery followed suit and their cries had been
heard by the returning ghost party. The man did not tarry to see who had
screamed. He sprang into the creek, where, pushing his canoe ahead of
him, he ran down the stream. He had then leaped in and had given the
paddle the first swift sweep when discovered by Harriet and her party.

Miss Elting was really alarmed when she heard their story. She decided
to sit up all night and watch. Jane and Harriet kept watch with her.
They did not retire until daylight, after which they got a few hours of
sleep. Then came a late breakfast and the preparations for departure.
They were going back to the other side of the lake, where they intended
to tie up at their old anchorage near the main camp of the Tramp Club.

After dragging the houseboat out and finding a suitable anc