"No use talking, sis," said Jack, "this sail was worth being
stranded for. If you are in no hurry, Ben, suppose we prolong it.
Take us some place where we haven't been. You know the rounds of
Cedar Lake."
This plan was agreed to, and, though the boys were not dressed as they would wish to have been, it was evening on the water, and their jersey suits were not altogether out of place.
"But what I would like to get at," began Ed, not being able to dismiss the subject, "is who stole our boat?"
"It may have drifted away," suggested Cora wisely. "There was a great fleet on the lake to-day, and any small boy might have let your boat go."
"Well, if I should lay hold of such a chap," declared Jack grimly, "he will grow up quickly. He will never be a small boy again."
"Now I'll tell you," offered Ben obligingly. "There's a lot of strange things likely to happen to you young 'uns while you're at this here lake. So take my advice an' go slow. Every one here goes slow, and it's the best way. If you suspicion a feller don't go at him. Just wait and he will walk right into your hands," and Ben sounded a warning whistle as he turned a point.
"He'll eat out of my hands if I get training him," prophesied Jack. "But all the same, Ben, I think that's first-rate advice. It saves us much trouble and that's the most important consideration. It takes time even to polish off such a specimen."
"And when you're done, you've got dirty hands," went on Ben in rough philosophy. "All the same, there is them that can't be otherwise dealt with, and when the time's ripe I'd—help myself. I know a man or two I'd like first-rate to get at, and stay at till I'd finished."
"Then, Ben," spoke Cora, "when you get your man we'll all help you, and when we get ours you can return the compliment."
Cora had a way of joking that invariably turned out prophetic—and this case was no exception.