There was a great shout of laughter. Ben was submerged—every bit! He came up blowing like a porpoise.
“Come on in, fellows! the water’s fine!” he gasped, not embarrassed by the accident.
“Thank you. We’ll wait till the bathing suits arrive,” returned Neale. “Hello! Here are the Corner House girls—two of them, at least.”
He hurried forward to greet Ruth and Agnes. The other boys simmered down a little when they observed the girls; most of them doffed their caps politely, but only Joe and Neale knew Ruth and Agnes very well.
“Oh, Neale!” was the latter’s greeting to her boy friend. “Don’t tell the other fellows, but Tess and Dot are lost.”
“Great goodness, Ag! You don’t mean it?” cried Neale, keenly troubled by her statement.
“It’s not as bad as that,” Ruth interposed. “They are out in our boat with Tom Jonah.”
“I knew you had him down here. He’ll take care of them,” said Neale, with confidence.
“Yes, I know,” agreed Ruth. “But they all got in the boat unbeknown to Aggie and me, and the tide’s carried them up the river.”
“You don’t know!” burst out Agnes.