The camp at Cedar Lake had been taken by Cora and her friends for a summer vacation on the water, and now, after a day's run from Chelton, the home town, in their auto, the Flyaway, the Robinson girls had again joined Cora who had come up the day previous, with a maid to get the camp to rights.
The steamer was indeed too close! Cora was frantically trying to turn the auxiliary steering wheel, but Bess in her fright was turning the more powerful bow wheel in the very direction of danger!
"Oh! Mercy!" shrieked Belle. "We are lost!"
Another wave almost submerged them. The passengers on the steamer had all run to one side of their boat.
"Turn right!" shouted Cora as she jumped up and fairly jerked from
Bess the forward wheel. "Turn to the right!"
CHAPTER II
THE HAUNTED ISLE
For some seconds no one seemed to know just what had happened. The steamer was clear, and the motor boat was running safely. Three very wet girls were thanking their good fortune that the water was their only damage—and water in the shape of a shower of spray is not much of a matter to complain of, after you escape a collision.
"What happened?" asked Belle, when she had the courage to uncover her eyes.
"Bess turned wrong," said Cora.