“Well! there isn’t much chance to do that unless you can prove that he is honest, after all,” remarked Frank.
“I know it. Everything is going to tell against him unless the lost boat and the images can be found. I wonder where it was sunk? Do you suppose Polly would tell us just where the accident happened?”
“Ask her.”
“I will, if I get a chance,” declared Wyn. “And wouldn’t it be fine if we girls could find the sunken boat and the box belonging to Dr. Shelton, and clear up the whole trouble?”
“Even that would not satisfy Bessie Lavine,” said Frankie, with a little laugh. “You know–Bess is ‘awful sot in her ways.’ When she has made up her mind that a thing is so, you can’t shake it out of her with a charge of dynamite!”
“You never tried the dynamite; did you, Frank?” queried Wyn, smiling.
“No! But I’ve wanted to–at times.”
“Bessie is like her father–obstinate. It is a family trait Yet, once get her turned around–show her that she has been wrong and unfair to anybody–and she can’t do too much for her to prove how sorry she is.”
“That’s right! look how she talked against the boys–especially against Dave Shepard. And now you can just wager she won’t be able to do enough for him to show how grateful she is for being pulled out of the water,” laughed Frank.
Mr. Jarley was ready to load the boat for them, and Polly came back with the key to the shack. Polly could not go over to the camp, for both she and her father could not leave the landing at once. Some fishermen might come along at any time to hire a boat. The season was opening now, and after the “lean months” that had gone by, the Jarleys had to be on the watch for every dollar that might come their way.