We can understand now something of the eagerness with which she listened to Jarius’ story. When he had finished all were agape with wonder.
“Waal, I never!” exclaimed Jabez. “Who’d a-thought it?”
“And they will believe Ralph now?” asked Mary anxiously.
“They can’t help it, only we have got to prove it to them.”
“Yes, yes,” said her father. “How’ll we do that, ’Rius? It’s an orful story to believe.”
“Let them see fer theirselves. Guess if they hed been with me they’d a-thought somethin’ ’sides Ralph Horn was ’round movin’ that boat. But I must catch a wink of sleep now. In the mornin’ we’ll all go down and clear up the mystery.”
A few minutes later the light was extinguished, and the Bede family were in slumberland, though there may be a doubt in regard to one member. But we won’t call any names.
They were all astir early the next morning, and immediately after breakfast Jarius spread the news of his discovery.
It required no urging to get half a dozen to accompany him to the lake, besides the three Bede boys.
To the surprise even of Jarius, the boat he had seen leave the shore so mysteriously the night before was nowhere to be seen either upon the lake or on the shores.