t sail before sitting down
to the meal. Jane drove her car to town, leaving it at a garage, after
which she walked back to the dock. She found the "Red Rover" ready to
sail. The girls were discussing the question of where to go for an
anchorage for the night.

"Is that all?" called Jane. "Leave it to the boat. She'll find a place
for herself. Say, I'm not going to try to tow that house out of here
with all these boats about."

There were launches and steamers coming in constantly. The waters in
that vicinity were dotted with rowboats and small skiffs as well. Jane
did not like the idea of dragging out the "Red Rover" through that
gathering of craft. Neither did Harriet Burrell. Jane was looking over
the launches and their occupants as they came up to the dock either to
take on or discharge passengers. All at once she pounced upon two boys,
who had left a third boy on the dock and bade him good-bye.

"Will you give us a tow?" demanded Jane.

"Where do you want to go?" answered one of the lads, touching his cap.

"Which way are you going?"

"Down the lake."

"That's the way we are going. Say, which way is down the lake?" she
asked Harriet in a whisper. The latter indicated the direction by a wave
of the hand.

"We'll give you a rope and tell you when you are to drop us," added
Jane.

The boys regarded the houseboat rather dubiously. They did not know
whether or not their little launch would be able to tow it. Jane and
Harriet explained to their companions that they were to have a tow. Then
the two girls made fast the line, carrying the latter to the motor boat,
after which they cast off from the pier.

The Meadow-Brook Girls uttered a cheer, as the "Red Rover" slowly
drifted sideways clear of the dock. The dock was thronged with people,
all of whom were now observing the houseboat. The latter's upper deck
held the girls, with the exception of Jane, who was at the helm to steer
as soon as their craft had been turned about and headed in the right
direction. The houseboat came about slowly; then, as the motor boat
chugged away the line grew taut and the "Red Rover" began to move.

"You give me steering directions, Harriet," cried Jane.

"I will wave to you. That will be better than shouting."

"Whatever you say."

"Look out!"

A heavy shock, following Harriet's warning, caused Jane to shove the
tiller hard over. The girls were piled in a heap on the upper deck and
it seemed as though the front part of the