"You people would better come over here if you want your dinner," called Charlie Rose. And as he spoke the odor of the frying trout made invitation almost needless.
"Beside the lake their tryst they kept,
And rested not, nor ate, nor slept,"
sang Charlie.
But Diantha caught his words and added,
"The fish was gone, the lovers wept;
And wished their promise they had kept!
"If you folks don't hurry, we'll have every scrap of the fish eaten up."
The prosaic appeal reminded Ellen that she had left her friend alone with the work of preparation of the dinner, and so they hastened down to the other raft and soon paddled across to the island.
The picnic dinner was scarcely over before Tom Allen was down on the narrow beach and calling for all hands to embark. The children followed him quickly, and he managed to secure both Charlie Rose and Diantha as his other passengers; just as Henry Boyle came running down the rocks, Tom called: "Get the pole and give us a push from shore."
"Wait," called the young Englishman.
Boyle seized the pole, and sprang for the raft, but in an instant he was waist deep in the icy water, and the raft was floating off beyond his reach.