"We did not. We said we wanted to cross the river and you said you'd take us across."
"Well, that's what we intend to do," and Merwell grinned in a manner that disgusted all three of the fair passengers.
"If you don't land us at once, I shall cry for help," said Vera.
"And so will I," added the other girls.
"We'll land you—after we've had a ride," answered Merwell, and continued to crowd the engine as best he knew how.
"Don't run too fast—I don't know the channel here!" cried Poole, somewhat alarmed. Had he had his way, he would have landed the girls long before, but he did not dare to thwart Link Merwell's pleasure. The bully took a vast delight in teasing the girls and scaring them.
"Help! help!" cried Vera, suddenly. "Help!" And then the other girls joined in the call for assistance.
"You shut up!" exclaimed Merwell, sullenly. "We are not hurting you. If you don't shut up we'll land you on one of the islands and leave you there."
"Oh!" exclaimed the third girl, whose name was Sadie Fillmore, and then she nearly fainted from fright.
The motor boat was rounding a point of the cove when there came an unexpected scraping on the bottom. Then suddenly the craft slid up on a sandbar and careened to one side, almost tumbling some of the occupants into the water.