“Then we can get back to papa on the houseboat!” exclaimed Olivia. “Oh, girls, isn’t it fine! The very storm we were so afraid of has done us a favor!”
“I’ll make sure of it,” Jerry went on, as he and Ned got into the Dartaway. The girls insisted on going also, and soon the five were puffing toward where could be seen a narrow stream leading from Butterfly Lake. In a short time they were up to it and Jerry’s surmise was found to be correct. The hurricane had blown the small floating island clear through the passage into Lake Okeechobee and that big body of water was now accessible from Butterfly Lake.
“There’s the Wanderer!” exclaimed Olivia, pointing ahead, and the others, looking, saw the houseboat moored at the entrance to the passage. They also saw Mr. Seabury pacing the upper deck. At the sight of the motor boat he waved his hands and set up a shout of welcome.
“Father! Father! Here we are!” cried Nellie as Jerry sent the Dartaway straight for the Wanderer.
[CHAPTER XXIX]
NODDY’S DANGER
They were all on board a few minutes later. Mr. Seabury did his best to hug his three daughters at once and shake hands with Ned and Jerry. As for the talk—well, it would have taken half a dozen phonographs of extra power to register all that was said in a short time.
“There isn’t so much to tell,” said Mr. Seabury. “When you girls went out in the boat, leaving the Wanderer about where she is moored now I was dozing on deck. Pretty soon Ponto called my attention to a swarm of butterflies some distance away. I had in mind the professor and his search and I thought I might find just what he wanted.
“We went after them, but they gave us quite a chase, and when we thought we had them the whole lot flew inland and we lost sight of them. Then, when we came back where we had been moored, near the passage, we found it was gone. I was never so surprised in my life and I thought I had made a mistake. I didn’t know what to do and Ponto was so frightened he was of no service. Then my old rheumatic trouble came back with a rush and I had to take to bed. But when the storm ceased I got better. I found the boat had dragged her anchor, so I had Ponto start the motor this morning and put us back as near as possible to where the passage had been. To my surprise it was open again. That’s all there is to it. I don’t care what happened as long as I have you girls back.”