“Well, next time we tie up over night we’ll do it in or near some city or village, and not in such a lonely place,” decided Mr. Howbridge.
Neale and Hank made good their promise to repair the motor, and shortly after breakfast the craft was in shape to travel on.
The weather continued fine, and if it had not been for the alarm of the night before, and the shadow of the robbery hanging over Ruth and Agnes, and Neale’s anxiety about his father, the travelers would have been in a most happy mood. The trip was certainly affording them many new experiences.
“It’s almost as exciting as when we were snowbound,” declared Agnes.
“But I’m glad we don’t have to look for two little runaways or lost ones,” put in Ruth, with a glance at Tess and Dot as they went out to play on the upper deck.
It was just before noon, when Ruth was helping Mrs. MacCall prepare the dinner, that the oldest Kenway girl heard a distressing cry from the upper deck where Tess and Dot had been playing all the morning.
“Tess, stop!” Ruth heard Dot exclaim. “I’m going to tell Ruthie on you! You’ll drown her! Oh, Tess!”
“She can’t drown! Haven’t I got a string on her?” demanded Tess. “This is a new way of giving her a bath. She likes it.”
“Give her to me! Ruthie! Ruthie! Make Tess stop!” pleaded Dot.
“I wonder what the matter is,” said Ruth, as she set down the dish she was holding and hastened to the upper deck.