CHAPTER XVII
ON ELM ISLAND
“Have you a long rope aboard, Miss Nelson?” asked Mr. Stone, when they had drawn near to the burning load of hay.
“Yes, you will find it in one of the after lockers,” answered Betty, as she skillfully directed the course of her boat so as to get on the windward side of the barge.
“And have you a boathook? I want to fasten it to the rope, and see if I can cast it aboard the barge.”
“There is something better than that,” went on the Little Captain. “I have a small anchor—a kedge, I think my Uncle Amos called it.”
“Fine, that will be just the thing to cast! Where is it?”
“In the same locker with the rope. Uncle insisted that I carry it, though we’ve never used it.”
“Well, it will come in mighty handy now,” declared Mr. Kennedy, as he prepared to assist his chum. “You girls had better get in the cabin,” he added, “for there is no telling when the wind may shift, and blow sparks on your dresses. They’re too nice to have holes burned in them,” and he gazed, not without proper admiration, at Betty and her chums. Even in this hour of stress and no little danger he could do that.
“We’ll put on our raincoats,” suggested Mollie. “The little sparks from the hay won’t burn them. Or, if they do, we can have a pail of water ready.”
“That’s a good idea,” commented Mr. Stone, who was making the kedge anchor fast to the long rope. “Have several pails ready if you can. No telling when the sparks may come aboard too fast for us.”