"Now we'll try this turning around business again," directed Roger. "Ethel Blue will row the regular way; that will turn the boat in a wide circle as we saw. Ethel Brown will back water at the same time. That will make the boat turn a much smaller circle, and in a minute we'll lay our course for the shore. Ready? One, two, three, four; one, two, three, four. Now stop backing water, Ethel Brown, and row ahead. One, two, three, four," counted Roger patiently until the bow grated on the pebbles.
"That's enough for to-day," he decided. "You mustn't get so tired out that you won't want to have another go at it to-morrow. Remember, step in the middle of the boat and way out over the side. There you are," and he walked away toward the grove of trees where he had left his mother, whistling loudly and followed by the Ethels' cheerful "Thank you."
"It makes you hungry," commented Ethel Brown. "I believe I'll go and see if there are any signs of luncheon."
"I'll be there in a little while. I think I'll rest under that tree over there for a few minutes."
Ethel Blue was more tired than she realized, and, when she had made herself comfortable, curled up under an oak that was separated from the landing by a narrow point of land and some tall sedges, she fell sound asleep.
It was perhaps half an hour later that she roused sharply at some sound that pierced her dreams. As she came to herself another scream brought her to her feet.
"Dicky!" she gasped. "Where?"
She ran toward the landing, but there was no sign of him. The sound had seemed nearer to her tree she thought as she dashed back to her napping spot, but she had been so sleepy that she could not tell whether it came from the bushes behind her or from the beach.
The beach? The water? Was Dicky in the water? She flew to the water's edge and strained out over the tiny waves that lapped gently in from a steamer that had gone down the lake five minutes before.
There it was again—that scream. And there was Dicky's yellow head bobbing up for an instant and there was his hand thrown into the air.