“Look where it’s drifting!” exclaimed Betty.
“Right for the Yacht Club boathouse!” added Mollie. “The wind is taking it there. Look, the fire is increasing!”
“And if it runs against the boat house there’ll be no saving it!” said Mr. Kennedy. “There’s no fire-boat up here—there ought to be!”
“Girls!” cried Betty, “there’s just a chance to save the boat house!”
“How?” demanded Amy.
“If we could get on the windward side of that burning barge, throw a line aboard and tow it out into the middle of the lake, it could burn there without doing any damage!”
“By Jove! She’s hit the nail on the head!” declared Mr. Stone, with emphasis. “But dare you do it, Miss Nelson?”
“I certainly will dare—if you’ll help!”
“Of course we’ll help! Steer over there!”
The burning hay, fanned by a brisk wind, was now sending up a pillar of fire and a cloud of smoke. And the barge was drifting perilously near the boathouse. Many whistles of alarm smote the air, but no boat was as near as the Gem.