CHAPTER XXII
LAND—BUT WHERE?
With the grey of the dawn, the fog again drifted out to sea and the sun arose in a glory of flaming color.
“Isn’t it wonderful?” Virg said to the pale, weary girl at her side. “The God who has created the sun and the stars, and keeps them in their places, can also take care of us and I know that he will.” Then she added very softly, “I wish the other girls might sleep longer, for, if they waken, they will be hungry and we have nothing to give them.”
“I suppose poor Mrs. Dorsey is frantic because we have not returned,” said Megsy, also in a whisper. “I am truly sorry for her, but I do hope that she won’t wire Mrs. Martin and spoil her long planned vacation.”
“No fear of that, for, directly after the wedding, Mrs. Martin was to go with her brother and sister on an automobile trip visiting many interesting places, and, returning with them to Vine Haven at the close of the vacation. I heard her tell Mrs. Dorsey not to try to forward her mail as she would have no definite address. However, Mrs. Dorsey will, of course, notify the town authorities and they will begin to search for us, but they will not dream that we are lost at sea since we started out to hike across country.”
For a moment Margaret silently watched the East. Then she said: “Virg, if it weren’t for the real danger that we are in, I would be glad to have this opportunity of seeing such a wonderful sunrise. The very water seems to be of molten gold.”
“It is awe-inspiring,” the older girl replied. “I feel as though we were in the very presence of the Creator.”
A bank of shining mist was just ahead of them. “It is the very same that I have seen from Pine Cabin,” Virg remarked, “and dear old Mrs. Torrence often said that she believed it to be an island, which looked misty because of the distance, and once, when the air was unusually clear, I actually believed that I could see its rocky outlines.”
The two girls, who so loved each other, walked toward the bow of the old boat, and with eyes shaded, gazed ahead through the shimmering air.
“We must have drifted far in those long hours of the night,” Margaret said. “We have much to be thankful for that we did not run upon a shoal.” Suddenly the speaker clutched the arm of her companion. “Virg, after all, we must be drifting back toward the shore. See, there is land in that cloud of mist. Can’t you see it? I can plainly make out trees and rocks.”