houseboat must have been
crushed.

Loud, threatening voices forward brought Crazy Jane to the upper deck
instantly. Then she saw what had occurred. The "Red Rover" had taken a
sudden dive to the left, colliding with an anchored sailboat.

"If you don't know how to steer, keep off the lake!" raged the owner,
shaking both fists at the red terror.

"If you don't know how to keep out of the way, then you ought to get
pushed off the lake," flung back Jane McCarthy defiantly.

Harriet laid a hand on her arm.

"Don't argue with them, Jane. It isn't well-bred to do a thing like
that."

The launch was sputtering away trying to extricate the "Red Rover" from
its position, which, by this time, was broadside against the sailboat.
The "Red Rover" was rising and falling, each time rubbing off some red
paint onto the white sides of the yacht. With each blotch of paint, so
acquired, the anger of the owner of the yacht increased. It was
fortunate for the Meadow-Brook Girls that they succeeded in getting away
promptly. Jane was getting more and more angry, and Harriet had all she
could do to restrain her companion.

But their troubles were not yet ended. The "Red Rover" plunged through
the fleet, smash-into a sailboat here, nearly sinking a rowboat there,
grazing the side of a steamer, rubbing off some more paint in the
operation, and continuing her voyage of destruction by smashing in the
gunwale of a launch that was unfortunate enough to be anchored within
range of the "Red Rover's" tow line. Jane's steering was anything but
skilful. She steered too much, not giving the boat half a chance to
respond to one turn of the tiller, before she turned it the other way.
But Harriet Burrell offered no suggestions. At least, she remained
silent until after the "Red Rover" had upset a canoe, spilling a young
man and two girls into the lake. It was then that Harriet sprang down
and casting off the rowboat pulled to their rescue. It was well that she
did so, for neither of the girls could swim.

The motor boat that was towing the "Red Rover" had stopped instantly but
the "Red Rover" was still drifting, managing to collide with two more
small boats before finally coming to a stop. In the meantime, Harriet
had hauled the dripping girls aboard her rowboat, and assisted the young
man to right his canoe. The girls refused to get into it again.

"Bring the young ladies aboard and let us give them some dry clothes,"
called Miss Elting.

"They