with Crazy Jane McCarthy struggling in the water. Her
mouth was too full of water, just at that moment, to allow her to raise
an outcry. The momentum of the houseboat carried it alongside the
overturned rowboat, Harriet leaned over and grasped one of her
companion's arms.

"Why, Jane! You shouldn't have stopped rowing to go in for a swim."

"Go in for a swim!" exploded Jane. "And didn't you run me down. Look at
the boat, will you! Now, what are we going to do, will you tell me?"

"The first thing is to get you on board. After that I don't know."

Crazy Jane was dragged aboard the "Red Rover." She lay clinging to the
gunwale, laughing immoderately.

"It's a fine start we are having, darling isn't it, now!"

"A wet one," amended Harriet. "See! The rowboat is drifting ashore. You
stay on board. I'm going after it. I'm not tired. Keep the houseboat
away from the shore, if you can."

Harriet sprang into the water, swimming leisurely shoreward. Reaching
the rowboat, she took hold of and clung to it, drifting ashore with it.
The houseboat also was coming in. Jane was shouting to her companion to
hurry. Harriet was doing the best she could under the circumstances,
struggling with all her strength to right the rowboat. By the time she
had succeeded in doing so, the "Red Rover" was fairly on top of her.

"Steer out!" cried Harriet warningly.

"I can't steer in or out," flung back Jane.

Harriet began tugging at the rowboat to get it out of the way of the
oncoming houseboat. The former had grounded in the shallow water. The
houseboat caught the stranded rowboat, turned it over and slowly ground
it under its prow, accompanied by the sound of crushing planks. Harriet
was caught and thrown down, disappearing under the bow of the "Red
Rover."

CHAPTER III

SETTING UP HOUSEKEEPING

Jane, receiving no answer to her calls, ran up on top of the house. A
quick glance about showed her that Harriet was nowhere in sight. Jane
did not dare to dive, knowing that the water was shallow. She jumped,
feet first, instead, landing in the shallow water with great force.

"She's under there!" cried the girl, staggering toward the bow of the
houseboat. Putting her shoulders against it she shoved the heavy boat
back a little. Harriet Burrell came to the surface, then made a feeble
attempt to swim. Jane picked her up and carried her ashore; or, rather,
dragged her there, for, impeded by the water, Jane found Harriet too
heavy a bu