ey would have gotten out of the scrape without us," nodded Billy.

"Surely we would," chuckled Crazy Jane. "We always do get out of our
scrapes, somehow. But we thank you just the same."

"Indeed, we do," agreed Harriet earnestly. "I was about to say, when you
asked me if there were any place we wished to go, that we do wish to go
over to the other side of the lake some day soon, and--"

"Any time," interrupted Billy. "I'll take you over to-day, if you say
the word."

Harriet shook her head.

"Boys, we've got business on hand to-day," said Jane briskly. "There is
plenty to be done. It will take us two days to get well settled again.
You will look us up occasionally, I am sure. We can then let you know
where and when we wish to go, can't we?"

"Surely you can," agreed George enthusiastically. "But I'm sorry you
won't come to anchor near our camp."

Harriet told him they should be moving frequently; that they hoped to be
able to make a complete circuit of the lake before they had finished
their vacation. George said that the boys, too, were going to move their
camp now and then. He told the girls the Tramp Club had planned to spend
a week on one of the islands in the lake, and that they would so arrange
the time as to do so when the Meadow-Brook party was in that vicinity.

By the time they had reached the cove where the "Red Rover" lay the boys
who had remained behind had gotten nearly all the belongings aboard.
Miss Elting and the girls were helping them, Tommy taking it upon
herself to "boss" the whole job.

As soon as the motor boat party had landed, Harriet said she must look
for the anchor rope, which had not been seen that morning.

"I'll do that," offered Larry Goheen. "You ought to make it secure, so
that the boat can't get away," he added.

"I thought I secured it last night. I made a stout loop and slipped it
over the cleat on the deck. I don't see how the boat could have gotten
away unless the rope broke, which it undoubtedly did."

George said he would see about that. The rowboat had drifted ashore
unharmed. Captain George launched the boat and rowed out, paddling about
until finally they saw him stop and raise the end of a rope from the
water.

"Bring the launch out here, Bill," he called. "Yes, I've found it, and
I've found something else too. There's been some crooked work here!"

"What do you mean?" called Harriet.

"I'll tell you when I come in. I've made a find, all right!"

The capta