d themselves on the deck. The rowboat
drew slowly up toward the scow, then was permitted to drift in the rest
of the way. When almost alongside, the boys in the rowboat decided to go
around to the other side. This nearly upset the plans of Harriet
Burrell, but she quickly moved her force to the opposite side of the
deck near the stern end. Had the boys been sufficiently alert they might
have caught a faint rattle and a scuffle of feet. They were too intent
on their mission, however, to realize that anything out of the ordinary
was going on aboard the houseboat.

A whispered conversation ensued in the rowboat, then two boys got
cautiously to the deck of the cockpit. There followed a period of
silence and a low-spoken command from below.

A mighty yell suddenly broke from the midnight visitors. Howls and
shrieks, Indian war-whoops and beating on the cabin with sticks,
accompanied the shouts.

"Pirates! Surrender!" howled a voice that was easily recognizable as
belonging to the red-headed Larry Goheen. "Whoop! Hi-yi-yip yah!"

"We will settle the pirates," muttered Harriet.

"Just listen to those lads," chuckled Crazy Jane.

"Let go!" The command came sharp and incisive. A rattle of tin dishes
followed. Pails and pans were raised to the rail as five figures stood
up suddenly. "Stand by to repel boarders!" was the second command. Five
pans and pails of water were tilted, sending a flood of water down on
the heads of the surprised "pirates." From a tub of water on deck the
pails were quickly refilled and the water dumped over the rail. Not many
drops were wasted. Nearly every drop reached a pirate.

Crazy Jane uttered a shrill war-whoop, then the girls grabbed and shook
her. The amazed pirates were in a panic. Three of them had been left on
the lower deck of the "Red Rover." The rowboat had been quickly pushed
off as soon as the occupants recovered from their first surprise. The
three Tramps made a leap for the rowboat. They landed in the lake with a
splash and went floundering toward the small boat.

Tommy climbed to the rail and hurled a pan at the beaten pirates. But in
hurling the pan she lost her balance.

"Thave me!" she screamed. Tommy plunged sideways from the rail, making a
complete turn in the air, landing in the lake with a mighty splash.

Harriet dived off after her, fearing that her little companion might
have been stunned by striking the water on her back. But Tommy came up
before Harriet rose from h