horage,
Harriet rowed over to the mainland. Running up to the farmhouse she
telephoned to the nearest town for a launch to come down and give them a
tow. Billy Gordon and his motor boat were not on hand for the purpose
this morning.

When about eleven o'clock a launch came down the coast in search of them
the wind had risen and the lake was rough. It was an old boat and did
not look as though it could stand much weather. The man running the boat
said there was rather a stiff sea on the other side of the island, but
he thought he could make it. Miss Elting said she would give him five
dollars if he would take them across. He made fast to the "Red Rover"
and started.

Once they had rounded the island they did not think the waves would be
very high. Being protected by a point of land they did not get the full
force of the wind. Nor did they realize what a chance they had taken
until they had gotten well out into the lake. There the gale struck them
with full force. Harriet grew really alarmed. She feared the "Red Rover"
was not strong enough to stand up under it. Margery was seasick and the
others also felt the effects of the gale.

The "Red Rover" was now pitching more violently than ever. Jane was
gazing at the launch wide-eyed, expecting every moment to see it take a
dive, not to come up again. Everything movable in the "Red Rover's"
cabin was being hurled about. The oil stove long since had tipped over,
glass was being smashed, dishes broken, pieces of each of these were
rattling over the floor. Miss Elting decided that they would be better
off outside.

Harriet protested against their going on the upper deck, saying that
they might be blown off into the lake. Jane was protecting herself by
clinging to a rope. The awning suddenly ballooned and went up into the
air, taking some of the awning posts with it. Miss Elting had no
further desire to go up on deck after that. With her charges she kept
close to the deck house, where they shielded themselves from the wind as
much as possible.

"He's turning round," shouted Jane, with hands to lips.

"Don't let him. He will upset us."

Jane yelled at the man in the launch, who--not daring to brave the seas
any longer, was slowly turning his launch about. He shook his head,
evidently thinking she was ordering him to continue. Seeing that her
words were of no avail, Crazy Jane leaped down to the forward deck and
casting the tow line from the cleat, flung it out on the water