Quickly two girls lifted him out and turned down to the launch, while the others held the net for Kitty, who came in with a jump that brought the rescuers to their knees, stifling a gale of laughter.
"All right—no bones broken," gasped Kitty. "Hurry, they may be after us!"
Quickly they all scrambled in the launch, while little Royal was in Neal's arms.
"I knew it, I knew it," he kept repeating. "And this is just like daddy's little boat—"
"Girls!" exclaimed Kitty, "I found your slippers and stockings and the bag among Aunt Hannah's things. They're in my bag."
"Where is she?" Cleo asked, too impatient to wait for a more opportune moment.
"She came back ready to take Roy away," Kitty said defiantly. "But I wouldn't trust her. I found a lot of papers and wireless messages, and I wouldn't let her sneak off with Royal. I just made up my mind she couldn't scare me any more, and I'd go to Uncle Dave's, and tell him all about it."
"You are right," declared Louise. "I don't know very much about it, but it can do no harm for this little darling to leave that island. He was a regular prisoner there."
"You said it!" replied Kitty. "And having the poor angel roll in the mud to get strong! Then sleeping in a hut to be outdoors, when I know positive, his folks paid her thousands of dollars to keep their child in a delightful high-class retreat—where everything was perfect, but very costly."
"Oh, was that it?" asked Grace, looking at little Royal, as he helped steer the boat.