Jack sprang to his feet, waving and shouting. Closer and closer approached the boat, but there was no answering shout from those aboard.
Mr. Parker, Penny and Jack yelled in unison. They thought for a moment that the occupants must have heard their cries and would come to the rescue. But the craft did not change course.
Keeping steadily on, it passed the drifting motorboat well to starboard, and disappeared into the curtain of rain.
CHAPTER
2
THE BRASS LANTERN
The rain dashed into Penny’s face and ran in rivulets down her neck. With a change in the wind direction, the air had become suddenly cold. Shivering, she huddled close to her father for warmth.
Veiled by rain, the shore no longer was visible. Far to the right, the chug of a laboring motorboat was heard for an instant, then died away. It was apparent to Penny that they were drifting downstream quite rapidly.
“Listen!” she cried a moment later.
From upriver had come three sharp blasts of a whistle.
“That’s the River Queen,” muttered Jack, tossing a lock of wet hair out of his eyes. “We must be right in her path.”
“Then maybe we’ll be picked up!” Penny exclaimed hopefully.