A few minutes later, from far over the hills, the girls heard the faint chiming of a town clock. They counted twelve strokes.
Minutes passed and still there was no sign of any visitor. At length, Penny arose to stretch her cramped limbs.
“I thought I heard something just then!” Rosanna whispered tensely.
Penny stood listening.
“You’re right. I can hear oars dipping in and out of the water. It must be a boat coming this way.”
Peering out through the bushes, the girls surveyed the lake. It was too dark to distinguish objects but they distinctly could hear the rhythmical splash made by the moving oars.
“See anything?” Penny demanded.
“Not yet—oh, yes, now I do. It is a boat, Penny.”
“And it’s heading right for this spot! Let’s creep a little closer to the opening of the tunnel.”
Stealthily they changed positions but remained well hidden by a screen of bushes.