"They understand us!" cried Lulu joyfully. "See, the man's nodding his head. Why, they're stopping! Oh, don't you believe they're going to help us after all?"
For the next few moments the children waited in breathless suspense, almost too excited to speak. Then Jack announced:
"They're getting into a rowboat. See those two men? That's the one that nodded to us; I guess he's the captain. Let's shout again."
So again the four little voices were raised in agonized appeal, and this time there came an answering shout from the other boat.
"Don't be frightened, children, you're all right. We're coming to you as fast as we can."
The wind brought the cheery, encouraging words straight across the water to the terrified children, and oh! the relief of that comforting assurance to each wildly beating little heart. The men in the boat rowed fast, and soon the splash of approaching oars was heard. Lulu and Winifred began to cry again, but it was for joy this time, not sorrow. Betty and Jack clung to each other in speechless relief. In a few moments the two boats were side by side; a rope was thrown securely around the oarless craft, and the children were safe.
"And now, my little friends, you must let us take you on board the yacht," said the man whom Jack had concluded to be the captain.
He was a tall, broad-shouldered man, with a rather handsome face, and it seemed to the children as though his cheery voice was the pleasantest sound they had ever heard in their lives. He and his companion—who appeared to be one of the sailors—began at once rowing back towards the yacht, keeping the children's boat in tow. A sudden fit of shyness had fallen upon the party, and nobody spoke until the stranger inquired, regarding the solemn little faces rather quizzically:
"How did it happen?"
"We were playing in the boat," Betty explained. "It was fastened to the dock, and we thought it was safe. The chain broke and we hadn't any oars."