This affair was to linger in his memory. What place was this? What were those men doing there? Some were grumbling, some smiling. Why? Was this Angelo’s place? It couldn’t be. But it was beneath his flower store. Would he rent the space to such men if he knew their nature?
“Naturally he wouldn’t,” Johnny assured himself. “I’ll speak to him about it next time I see him.”
This resolve was never carried out. Before he chanced upon Angelo’s flower shop again, strange discoveries were made. These discoveries were to change his entire course of action.
CHAPTER XX
RIDING A MOOSE
As Red Rodgers raced after the floating figure of the girl he gained little by little. Boat length by boat length he decreased the distance. Now she was twenty yards away, now ten, now five, as he pulled madly at the oars.
And then, as he glanced over his shoulder a cry of surprise and dismay escaped his lips. With a snort and a mad splashing of water a dark bulk sprang from the water, rattled over the pebbly shore, and then disappeared into the dense forest that covered the narrow island.
For one full minute he looked in vain for Berley Todd. Then, catching the sound of what seemed a low laugh, he whirled about to find her two white hands clinging to the prow.
“Please give me a hand!” she pleaded. “I’m soaked. And boo! It’s so cold!
“I always wanted to do it,” she chuckled as she tumbled into the boat.
“Do what?” Red was dumbfounded.