Well, there's one thing about it," declared Katherine flatly, "I refuse
to be the distress signal this time. Every time we've had to have one in
the past my belongings have been sacrificed."

"Don't get worried, injured one," said Gladys soothingly. "We can wave
the two towels I brought along."

"Just the thing!" said Katherine. "We can wave them when the steamer
goes by and they'll send a lifeboat for us. How romantic! She's just
coming into the channel now. Everybody get ready to call."

The big _Huronic_, the magnificent white steamer that stopped at
St. Pierre once a week on her way down to Chicago, swung into sight
around a long point of land.

"Now wave!" commanded Katherine, when the _Huronic_ was almost
opposite them, and the towels fluttered frantically over the edge of the
little balcony. Dozens of handkerchiefs were waved in answer from the
deck of the big liner. "They think we're just waving at them for fun,"
said Katherine, when nothing took place that looked like an effort at
rescue.

Making trumpets of their hands they all shrieked in unison, "Help!" But
the wind was toward them and carried the sound back. The stately
_Huronic_ proceeded serenely on her way without a pause.

"They aren't going to stop!" said Gladys.

"Oh, let them go on then," said Katherine crossly. Then she added, "I
suppose it was kind of foolish to expect a big boat like that to stop
and pick up a bunch of folks that didn't know any better than to climb
into an old lighthouse and let their boats float away."

"Isn't she a beauty, though?" said Gladys, looking after the ship in
admiration. The sun shining on the broad, white side of the _Huronic_
as she turned toward St. Pierre made her look like a gleaming, white
bird.

"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again," said Katherine
optimistically. "Even if the fair _Huronic_ did spurn us we can no
doubt get the attention of a fishing boat. Some of them are always going
round. Cheer up, Antha, and don't look so scared. Remember, you're with
me, and I bear a charmed life!"

And joking over their situation, but, nevertheless, keeping a sharp
lookout for anything on the horizon, they settled down to pass the time.

Meanwhile, the Hounds had reached the woods before St. Pierre, found the
directions on the tree and turned off toward the beach to follow the
shore to the Point of Pines. But after plodding through the thick, soft
sand for a while they decided that that mode of tr