h a boatful of
pretty girls. Think of the good time we could have rescuing you."

"Well, maybe you call that fun, but I should say it was pretty hard
work," said Frank, ungallantly. "Especially if the girls should lose
their heads and begin to choke you. All hail, for Davy Jones' locker!"

"You needn't worry," said Betty, with dignity. "In the first place we
wouldn't have to be rescued. We can swim just as well as you boys
can----"

"Now, now, Betty," Frank protested laughingly, "don't exaggerate."

"I'm not," she denied indignantly. "We haven't lived in the outdoors for
nothing, you know."

"Well, we shall have a chance to settle all disputes when we get to Pine
Island," said Allen. "To change the subject--has anybody noticed that
the sun has gone under a cloud and that there is a stiff little breeze
coming up? I shouldn't wonder if we were in for a storm."

"Yes, we may need our bathing suits even before we get to the island,"
said Betty, ruefully. "I hope you didn't forget to bring your suit, Mrs.
Irving," she added, turning to the chaperon, who had been singularly
silent during the ride. Perhaps she was realizing for the first time the
great responsibility she had taken upon herself. However, she spoke now,
accompanying her words with a bright smile.

"Indeed I did," she said. "There is nothing I enjoy quite so much as a
good swim. From what you girls say of the island we ought to have as
many as we want."

"I am very much afraid we won't leave to wait till we get there," said
Frank, regarding the sky anxiously. "Unless I am a pretty poor prophet
we are in for a considerable spell of bad weather. What do you say,
Allen?"

"I say you are right and then some," Allen answered emphatically. "I
think it would be a pretty good stunt to get the top up, Frank, before
the girls are deluged."

Accordingly Frank slowed down and waited for Mollie's trim little
machine to catch up with them.

"What do you make of the weather?" asked Will, as they came up
alongside. "Looks pretty threatening, don't you think?"

"If you don't want to get wet, you had better do what we are going to,"
Frank advised them. "Put your top up."

"Oh, hurry, Frank, I felt a drop then!" exclaimed Grace. "And there's
another! Oh, do hurry!"

The boys worked quickly and in a few moments had raised the tops and
were ready to let down the waterproof sides that would make them
comfortable in almost any weather.

"We are going to speed up som