The road to Skowhegan, five miles down the Kennebec, was very sandy, and it was impossible for them to make good time. It was four-fifteen when they crossed the bridge in Skowhegan, but they made up for lost time on the run up to the lake and reached the cottage just as the clock was striking four-thirty.
All the folks were on the porch, including their father and Uncle Ben, who had come up from town in the car, a short time before. The story of the day's adventures was soon told, and Mr. Golden declared that on the morrow they would get some officers and visit the log house in the woods.
"Well, I declare!" said May. "You two boys do beat all when it comes to getting into scrapes and getting out of them again. It must be lots of fun. Wish I was a boy."
"That's all right as long as you do get out all right," remarked Jack a little dryly, "but there wouldn't have been so much fun to some of the messes we've been in lately if they hadn't turned out as they did. Please excuse me."
"Come on, Bob," shouted Jack, "that lake looks good to me. We've got just time for a good swim before supper."
The girls both declared it would be just the thing, and all four rushed into the house and upstairs, to reappear in an incredibly short time clad in bathing suits. The girls could both swim nearly as well as the boys, and soon they were having a splendid time in the clear water of the lake. They swam and dived, ducking each other whenever opportunity offered, until Mrs. Golden called that it was time to get dressed for supper.
The next morning, while they were at breakfast, the telephone rang and Mr. Golden went into the front room to answer it.
"What's that you say?" they heard him ask, "Mercy, is that so? I'll come right down, be there in less than a half hour."
When he returned to the dining room, his face was pale and his voice trembled, as he said:
"Bob, get the car out as soon as possible; the bank has been robbed."