o you know we forgot something?" she asked. Then she pointed to the
untouched lunch hamper which Mrs. Danvers had heaped high with good
things. This was still standing close to the railing on the deck of _The
Shelling_ where the boys had put it when they climbed aboard.

"We forgot all about eating," she said in an incredulous voice. "Now I
know we were scared."

"Say, what do you know about that?" asked Ferd weakly. "I'd have said it
couldn't be done."

"And it must be away past lunch time, too," added Chet.

"Oh, gosh! why did you go and remind me I was starving?" groaned Teddy,
and with a quick movement he leaped into the boat and caught up the
basket. "Come on, who's first?" he cried.

But Billie stopped him by pressing a determined hand down on the lid.

"Not here," she begged. "We're all wet and uncomfortable, and we'll enjoy
it ever so much more if we wait till we get to the house. Please, Teddy,
now mind."

Teddy looked longingly at the basket, then at Billie, and gave in.

"All right," he said. "Only we'll have to walk fast!"

When they reached the cottage they found Connie's mother almost beside
herself with anxiety and Connie's father doing his best to soothe her. So
that when the young folks came in the door looking rather damp and
bedraggled but safe, Mrs. Danvers cried out joyfully, ran to them, and
hugged them one after another till she was completely and rapturously out
of breath.

"You precious kiddies!" she cried, standing back and regarding them with
shining eyes. "You will never know how horribly worried Dad and I have
been. You poor children, why, you are soaked through! And," as her eyes
fell on the basket, "you don't mean to tell me you haven't had any lunch.
Oh dear, oh dear! Run into the library, the lot of you. Daddy made a fire
thinking if we ever did get you back you'd need some drying out--and you
can be starting in on sandwiches while I make you some hot chocolate. Now
run along--quick." And she disappeared into the kitchen while the young
folks went on into the library.

Connie would have run after her mother to offer her help, but Mr. Danvers
stopped her.

"I'll help Mother," he said. "You run along with the others, dear, and
get warmed through. I don't want my little girl to catch cold. It might
spoil your whole summer."

So Connie went on into the library and found that the boys had arranged
the chairs in a semicircle around the fire and were already opening the
lunch ba