“You could see me? You saw——” she exclaimed, startled; and he fancied she turned the least shade pinker under her tan.
“Going and coming,” Lockwood nodded, manipulating the levers. The engine burst suddenly into intermittent explosions. It missed frequently, but the propeller tore up the water, failing, however, to pull the boat off the sand.
“I reckon you can manage to get home with it,” he said. “But I’ll have to get out. You’ll never get clear with so much weight in her.”
He stepped out, and the lightened boat slid slowly back and floated clear, backing out into the bayou, and then the throb of the engine ceased.
“Oh, it’s stopped again!” Miss Power exclaimed hopelessly.
From the shore Lockwood directed and advised. Nothing worked. The boat veered slowly on the almost imperceptible current, while the girl fumbled with the levers.
There was only one thing to do. Lockwood waited till the bow swung nearest land, then splashed out, only a little more than knee-deep, and got carefully into the boat again. He applied an expert hand to the machine, produced a few explosions, and then again obstinate silence.
“If I could have this thing for an hour I’m sure I could put it in order,” he said, growing irritated. “As it is——”
“You’ve surely had experience enough with motor engines, haven’t you, Mr. Lockwood?” said Louise, smiling at him.
Lockwood absolutely jumped with the shock of it, and turned quickly to look at her.