He took a step backward. By this time Betty had brought her boat close to the extending tree branch, where she had made fast before. The power had been shut off and the Gem had drifted to the former mooring place. Now Betty was ready for action.
"I beg your pardon," she said in a low voice, and with an intonation calculated to disperse the fears of even the most timid youth, "but will you be so good as to help us again? We are the girls, you know, whose boat you got when the manatee was towing it away."
"Wha—what?" gasped the other, and he seemed much afraid.
"We're the same girls," went on Betty. "You know, we saw you poling down the river that day. If you come closer you can see us and make sure. We need help again. We are lost and a friend of ours is missing. Wait, I'll light the lamps," and with a turn of the switch Betty set aglow the electric lights, operated by a storage battery.
The youth started again. Clearly he was a most timid creature.
"We saw the men who were after you," put in Mollie, thinking to add to his confidence. "And we didn't tell; did we, girls."
"No!" came in a chorus. In spite of the rather unprepossessing appearance of the youth the girls were glad to see him.
"Now will you help us again?" asked Mollie. "We've had a dreadful time, and we need help. You won't go away; will you?"
"N—no!" was the hesitating answer. "I came to look for you, but I wasn't sure—you see I have to be so careful."
"Gracious, I wonder if he thinks we wanted to capture him?" thought Grace, feeling about amid the cushions for some chocolates. That was a sure sign Grace had recovered her equanimity.