"Yes, that man Tony, or Jones, took my boat," declared Cora, indignantly, "and this time I will not try to make the laws myself. I am sure he took your canoe, and now my boat!"
"Well, we have you anyway," said Jack giving his sister a great warm embrace, "and now we are going to take you both back to civilization. Walter, can you care for Miss Laurel?"
And then Jack, seeing a good chance, slipped into Laurel's hand the envelope he had picked up in the woods. The girl started, stared at him for a moment, and then hid the missive from sight. She did not speak, but looked her thanks to Jack.
So happy were the girls to get away and to be in such safe company, that the shock and exhaustion following it were almost forgotten. Cora felt much stronger, and so did Laurel. They looked like two very much tossed and tousled girls, but the boys were not thinking of their looks just then.
"Are we going in my own boat?" asked Cora, showing how the ownership of that boat had been so dear to her.
"In the Pet!" replied Ed, "Jack, let me help Cora; you take the light."
Walter, waited for Laurel. She seemed to have things to take with her from the hut. "A queer camp, isn't it?" she asked, "but it's a great little place on a warm clay."
"Or a dark night," dared Walter, whereat Ed threatened to take both girls and so leave the wily Walter alone—for punishment.
The girls laughed. "Walter is our champion," explained Cora. "I shouldn't wonder if it were he who found us."
"Never," contradicted Jack. "I—found you."