Books: The Outdoor Girls at Rainbow Lake
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Laura Lee Hope >> The Outdoor Girls at Rainbow Lake
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"Come and see. I want you to meet some one."
It was two weeks after the accident, and, in a great measure, the
bitter memories of it had passed. Dodo was doing as well as could be
expected, and, save for a slight limp, Grace had fully recovered.
The three chums-- "graces" Will called them-- arrived at Betty's house
at the same time. With sparkling eyes she led them into the parlor.
"But what is it?" whispered Amy.
"If it's a strange young man, I'm not going to go and meet him," said
Mollie, with quick decision.
"It's a man, but not young, and I think you'll be glad to meet him,"
answered Betty.
Grace instinctively looked at her dress.
"Oh, you're all right!" cried Betty. Then she threw open the parlor
door. "Here they are, Uncle Amos!" she cried, gaily, and the girls
beheld a rather grizzled, elderly man, with tanned face and hands, and
wrinkled cheeks, like an apple that has kept all winter, with the
merriest blue eyes imaginable, and when he spoke there sounded the
heartiest voice that could well fit into the rather small parlor.
"Avast there!" he cried, as he saw the girls. "So these are your
consorts; eh, Bet? They do you proud! May I be keel-hauled if I've
seen a prettier set of sails on a craft in a long while. It's good
rigging-- good rigging," and he glanced particularly at the dresses.
Betty presented her friends in turn, and Mr. Martin had something odd
to say to each as he shook hands heartily.
"Uncle Amos has brought the-- surprise," said Betty. "But even yet he
won't tell me what it is."
"If I did it wouldn't be a surprise!" he protested. "But I'm all
prepared to pilot you down to where she is. She's in the offing, all
fitted for a cruise. All she needs is a captain and crew, and I think
Bet here will be the one, and you girls the other. I may ship as cook
or cabin boy, if you'll have me, but that is as may be. Now, if you're
ready we'll go down to the dock and see how the tide is."
"But we have no tide here, Uncle Amos," spoke Betty.
"What! No tide! What sort of a place is it without a tide? I'm
disappointed, lass, disappointed!"
"We'll try and have one made for you," said Mollie, with a laugh.
"That's it! That's the way to talk. Salt water and a tide would make
any place, even a desert-- er-- er-- what is it I want to say, Bet?"
"I don't know, Uncle, unless that it would make the desert blossom
like the rose."
"That's it-- a rose. You luffed just at the right time. Well, ladies,
all hands have been piped to quarters, so we'll start. It's nearly
four bells, and I told the mate I'd be there by then. Let's start."
And start they did. On the way toward the river, whither Mr. Marlin
insisted on leading the girls, Betty explained how her uncle had
arrived unexpectedly that day, and had talked mysteriously about the
surprise.
"It's a boat-- I'm sure it is," said Mollie.
"Oh, he'd talk that same way about an automobile or an airship," said
Betty. "He calls everything, 'she,' and if it was an auto he'd
'anchor' it near the river just to be close to the water he loves so
much."
"What if it's an airship?" asked Amy.
"I shall-- learn to run it!" declared Betty.
"Never!"
"Yes I shall."
"Let us hope it is but a rowboat then," sighed Amy.
They went out on the public dock in the Argono River. At the string
piece was tied what the girls saw was one of the neatest motor boats
that, as Will said afterward, "ever ate a gasoline sandwich."
There was a trunk cabin, an ample cockpit at the stern, a little
cooking galley, a powerful motor, complete fittings and everything
that the most exacting motor boat enthusiast could desire.
"There she is!" cried Mr. Marlin. "There's the surprise, Bet. I got
her for you! I named her the Gem-- for she is a gem. Aside from an
ocean steamer there's no better boat built. I saw to it myself. I've
been planning that for you for years. And there you are. The Gem is
yours. I want you girls to take a cruise in her, and if you don't have
a good time it will be your own fault. There's the Gem for you, Betty.
Let's go aboard and see if that rascally mate has grub ready. There's
the Gem!" and he led the way toward the beautiful boat. The girls
simply gasped with delight, and Betty turned pale-- at least Grace
said so.
CHAPTER VI
READY FOR A CRUISE
"What a pretty cabin!" cried Mollie.
"And see the places to put things!" exclaimed Betty.
"Places to put things!" fairly snorted Mr. Marlin, or to give him his
proper title, Captain Marlin. "Places! Huh! Lockers, young ladies!
Lockers! That's where you put things. The aft starboard locker, the
for'd port locker. You must learn sea lingo if you're to cruise in the
Gem."
The girls were still aboard the new motor boat. They could not seem to
leave it since Betty had been told that it was a gift from her uncle.
They inspected every part, turned the wheel, daintily touched the
shining motor, and even tried the bunks.
"There is room for five in the cabin," said Betty, looking about. "If
we wanted to take another girl with us we could, when we go cruising."
"Or a chaperone," added Grace. "We may have to do that, you know."
"Well, we can," admitted Betty. "The question is, shall we go on a
cruise?"
"Ask us!" exclaimed Mollie with a laugh. "Just ask us!"
"I do ask you," retorted the little captain of the Gem. "Girls, you
are hereby invited to accompany me on a cruise to go-- Oh, where can
we go?"
"To Rainbow Lake, of course," said Grace, promptly. "We can go down
the river into the lake, motor about it, go out into the lower river
if we want to, camp on an island or two, if we like, and have a
general good time."
"That's the way to talk!" cried Captain Marlin. "And I'll come with
you part of the time. There's some extra bunks back here maybe you
didn't see," and he showed them three folding ones in the cockpit back
of the trunk cabin, where awnings could be stretched in stormy
weather, enclosing that part of the craft.
"But what makes the boat go?" asked gentle Amy.
"The motor makes it 'mote,'" spoke Betty. "It's up in front; isn't it,
Uncle Amos?"
"Up in front! There you go again, Bet. Up in front! You mean for'ard;
up for'ard!"
"That's right, Uncle, I forgot. Come, we'll show these girls where the
motor is," and she led the way to where the machinery was enclosed in
a large compartment in the bow, close by hinged wing-covers.
The motor, one of three cylinders, was a self-starter, but by means of
a crank and chain could be started from the steering platform, just
aft of the trunk cabin, in case of emergency. There was a clutch, so
that the motor could be set in motion without starting the boat, until
the clutch, set for forward or reverse motion, had been adjusted, just
as the motor of an automobile can be allowed to run without the car
itself moving.
"And what a dear little stove in the kitchen!" exclaimed Betty, as the
girls looked in the cooking compartment-- it was not much more than a
compartment.
"Kitchen!" cried Captain Marlin. "That isn't a kitchen!"
"What is it?" Amy wanted to know.
"The galley, lass, the galley. That's where we cook aboard a ship, in
the galley. There's an alcohol and oil stove combined. You can have
chafing dish parties-- is that what you call them? and he laughed.
"That's right, Uncle," cried Betty. "And see the-- what are we
supposed to call these?" and she pointed to pots, pans, dishes and
other utensils that hung around the galley.
"Oh, call 'em galley truck, that's as good a name as any," said the
old captain. "Do you like this, Bet?"
"Like it, Uncle Amos! It's the dearest little boat in the world. I
don't deserve it. You are so good to get it for me, and it was such a
surprise."
"Yes, I calculated it would be a surprise, all right. But I didn't
forget that you always wanted to be a sailor, and so when I got the
chance, I made up my mind I'd get you something worth while before I
got sent to Davy Jones' locker."
"Where is that?" asked Amy, innocently.
"Oh, he means before he got drowned, or something like that,"
explained Betty. "Oh, Uncle Amos, you're a dear!" and she kissed him,
somewhat to his confusion.
"So I got a man to build this boat to suit my ideas," went on the old
seaman. "It's equipped for salt water, if so be you should ever want
to take a trip to sea."
"Never!" cried Mollie.
"Well, you never can tell," he said sagely. "After she was finished I
had him ship her here, and then I got her into the water. I will say,
that, for her size, she is a sweet little craft. And I hope you'll
like her, Bet."
"Like her! Who could help it? Uncle you're a---- "
"No more kissing, Bet. I'm too old for that."
"The idea! Oh, girls, aren't the bunks too cute for anything!" and
Betty sat down on one.
"And the dining room-- may I call it that?" Grace timidly asked of the
captain.
"Well, saloon is a better word, but let it go," he murmured. "Now,
what do you say to a little run down the river? It will give you an
idea of how to handle her."
"Oh, how lovely!" cried Betty. "Let's go, girls."
"That man is from the firm that built the craft," went on the former
sailor. "He'll show you all the wrinkles," and he motioned to a man
standing near.
Lines were cast off, the motor started, the clutch thrown in and then,
with Captain Betty at the wheel, her uncle standing near to instruct
her, the Gem started down the stream, attracting not a little
attention.
"This is a sea wheel," explained the captain. "That is, you turn it
the opposite way to what you want the boat to go. I wouldn't have a
land-lubber's wheel on any boat I built. So don't forget, Bet, your
boat shifts opposite to the way you turn the wheel."
"I'll remember, Uncle."
With dancing eyes and flushed faces, the girls sat in the cockpit
back, or "aft," of the trunk cabin, and watched Betty steer. She did
very well, for she had had some practice in a small motor boat the
girls occasionally hired.
"Oh, I couldn't have had anything in the world I wanted more than
this!" she cried to her uncle. "It is just great!"
"And you think you girls will go for a cruise?"
"I am sure we will, and as soon as we can. It will be the very thing
for the hot summer."
"Wouldn't Will just love this?" sighed Grace.
"Perhaps Betty will invite him and Allen Washburn and Percy Falconer
to come along on a trip or two," said Mollie, with a wink at her chums
as she mentioned Percy's name. The latter was a foppish young man
about town, who tried to be friendly with Betty; but she would have
none of him.
"Never Percy!" she declared. "I'll ask Will, of course, and Frank
Haley, but---- "
"Not Allen?" inquired Amy, mischievously, for it was no great secret
that Betty really liked Allen, a young law student, and that he was
rather attentive to her.
"Which way shall I steer to pass that boat, Uncle?" asked Betty, to
change a subject that was getting too personal.
"Port," he answered briefly.
"And that is----" she hesitated.
"The left," he answered quickly. "It's easy if you think that the
letter L comes before the letter P and that L is the beginning of
left. Port means left, always."
"I'm sure it's easy to say left and right," commented Grace, who was
eating a chocolate.
"Hum!" exclaimed the old captain, disapprovingly.
The Gem proved worthy of her name. The girls made a little trip about
the river, and then Captain Marlin, on learning that there was a boat
house and dock on the property of Mollie's mother, steered the craft
there, where it would be tied up until the girls started on their
cruise.
And that they would cruise was fully decided on in the next few days.
Now that the great surprise was known, plans were made to spend some
time on the lake and river in the new craft.
The wonder and delight of it grew. Each day the girls discovered
something different about Betty's boat. It was most complete, and
practical. The boys were in transports over it, and when Will and his
chum Frank Haley were allowed to steer they could not talk enough
about it.
Preparations for the cruise went on apace. Captain Marlin oversaw them
at odd times, for he was in business, and made trips between New York
and Deepdale.
In the meanwhile Grace fully recovered from the runaway accident. Not
so poor Dodo, however, and it was feared that the little girl would
have to be operated on.
"When?" asked Betty, thinking that this would spoil Mollie's trip.
"Oh, not for some time," was the answer. "They are going to try
everything else first."
Some of the mothers arranged to go along on part of the cruises, and
other married ladies volunteered for the remaining days, so the girls
would be properly chaperoned. Then began the final preparations.
"And if you see anything of Prince on your wanderings, don't fail to
catch him," begged Will, a few nights before the day set for the
start.
"We will," promised Grace.
The telephone rang-- they were all at Grace's house. She answered.
"Yes, yes. This is Mr. Ford's residence. What's that-- you have a
stray white horse? Oh, Will, maybe it's Prince!" and she turned
eagerly to her brother. "A man from Randall's livery stable is on the
wire. He says they have a white horse that was just brought in. A
farmer says he found him wandering about the country. Hurry down
there!"
CHAPTER VII
STOWAWAYS
"Then he isn't your horse, Will?" It was Mr. Randall, the livery
stable keeper who asked this question as Grace's brother critically
inspected an animal that was led out for view in the stable.
"No, that isn't Prince," was the answer. "He looks enough like him,
though, to be his brother. I'm much obliged for calling me up."
Will had hastened down after the receipt of the message Grace had
taken over the telephone, for Randall's, as had all livery stables in
the vicinity, had been notified to be on the lookout for the strangely
missing animal, who might be wandering about the country carrying
valuable documents in the saddle pocket.
"Two young fellows drove in here with this horse, and asked if they
could put him up for a while," went on the livery man. "I didn't like
the way they acted, but I didn't see how they could do me any harm, so
I said they could. Then I got to thinking about your horse, and I
called up. I'm sorry to disappoint you."
"I'm sorry myself, Mr. Randall. I can't imagine where Prince can be."
"Oh, some one has him, you may be sure of that. A valuable horse like
that wouldn't go long without an owner. Maybe some one has changed his
color-- dyed him, you know. That has been done. Of course the dye
doesn't last forever, but in this case it might hold long enough for
the excitement to subside."
"Well, if they'll send back the papers, they can keep the horse, as
much as I like Prince," Spoke Will, as he started home to tell his
sister and the girls the details of the unsuccessful trip. He had
already briefly telephoned to them of his disappointment.
"Oh, isn't it too bad!" cried Horace, as Will came back. "Do you
really think, Will, that some one has Prince and the papers?"
"It looks so, Sis. Has dad said anything lately?"
"No, I believe the other side hasn't done anything, either, which
might go to show that they haven't the papers. But it's all so
uncertain. Well, girls," and she turned to her guests, "I guess we can
finish talking about what we will wear."
"Which, means that I must become like a tree in Spring," sighed Will.
"How is that?" asked Amy. "Is it a riddle?"
"He means he must leave-- that's an old one," mocked Mollie. "Any
candy left, Grace?" and Mollie, who had been artistically posing on a
divan, crossed the room to where Grace sat near a table strewn with
books and papers, a box of chocolates occupying the place of honor.
"Of course there are some left," answered Grace.
"Which is a wonder!" exclaimed Will, as he hurried out of the room
before his sister could properly punish him.
"Will we wear our sailor costumes all the while?" asked Betty, for the
girls, as soon as the cruise in the Gem had been decided on, had had
suits made on the sailor pattern, with some distinctive changes
according to their own ideas. Betty had been informally named
"Captain," a title with which she was already more or less familiar.
"Well, of course we'll wear our sailors-- middy blouses and all--
while we're aboard-- ahem!" exclaimed Betty, with exaggerated
emphasis. "Notice my sea terms," she directed.
"Oh, you are getting to be a regular sailor," said Mollie. "I've got a
book home with a lot of sea words in. I'm going to learn them, and
also how to tie sailor knots."
"Then maybe your shoe laces won't come undone so easily," challenged
Grace, and she thrust out her own dainty shoe, and tapped the patent
leather tip of Mollie's tie.
"It is not!" came indignantly from Billy.
"It is loose, and it may trip you," advised Amy, and Mollie,
relinquishing a candy she had selected with care, bent over. The
moment she did so Grace appropriated the Sweetmeat.
"As I said," went on Betty, "we can wear our sailor suits when aboard.
When we go ashore we can wear our other dresses."
"I'm not going to take a lot of clothes," declared Grace, getting
ready to defend herself against Mollie when the latter should have
discovered the loss of the tidbit. "One reason we had such a good time
on our 'hike,' was that we didn't have to bother with a lot of
clothes. We shall enjoy ourselves much more, I think."
"And I agree with you, my dear," said Betty. "Besides, we haven't room
for many things on the Gem. Not that I want to deprive you of
anything," she added, quickly, for she realized her position as
hostess. "But really, to be comfortable, we don't want to be crowded,
and if we each take our smallest steamer trunk I think that will hold
everything, and then we'll have so much more room. The trunks will go
under the bunks very nicely."
"Then we'll agree to that," said Mollie. "Two sailor suits, so we can
change; one nice shore dress, if we are asked anywhere, and one
rough-and-ready suit for work-- or play."
"Good!" cried Amy. "As for shoes---- "
"Who took my candy?" cried Mollie, discovering the loss of the one she
had put down to tie her lace. "It was the only one in the box and----
"
Grace laughed, and thus acknowledged her guilt.
"I've got another box up stairs," she said. "I'll get it," which she
proceeded to do.
"Grace, you'll ruin your digestion with so much sweet stuff," declared
Betty, seriously. "Really you will."
"I suppose so, my dear; but really I can't seem to help it."
"As captain of the Gem I'm going to put you on short rations, as soon
as our cruise begins," said Betty. "It will do you good."
"Perhaps it will," Grace admitted, with a sigh. "I'll be glad to have
you do it. Now, is everything arranged for?"
"Well," answered Betty, "This is how it stands: We are to start on
Tuesday, and motor down the river, taking our time. Aunt Kate will go
with us for the first few days, and, as you know, we have arranged for
other chaperones on the rest of the cruise. We will eat aboard, when
we wish to, or go ashore for meals if it's more convenient. Of course
we will sleep aboard, tying up wherever we can find the best place.
"I plan to get to Rainbow Lake about the second day, and we will spend
a week or so on that, visiting the different points of interest-- I'm
talking like a guide book, I'm afraid," she apologized with a smile.
"That's all right-- go on, Little Captain," said Amy.
"Well, then, I thought we might do a little camping on Triangle, or
one of the other islands, say, for three or four days."
"Don't camp on Triangle," suggested Grace. "There are too many people
there, and we can't be free. There'd always be a lot of curious ones
about, looking at our boat, and our things, and all that."
"Very well, we can pick out some other island," agreed Betty. "You
know there is to be a regatta, and water sports, on Rainbow Lake just
about the time we get there, and we can take part, if we like."
"Do! And if we can get in a race we will!" cried Mollie, with
sparkling eyes.
"Uncle Amos has promised to be with us some of the time," went on
Betty. "And I suppose we will have to invite the boys occasionally,
just for the day, you know."
"Oh, don't make too much of an effort," exclaimed Mollie. "Allen
Washburn said he might be going abroad this summer, anyhow."
"Who said anything about him?" demanded Betty, with a blush.
"No one; but I can read-- thoughts!" answered Mollie, helping herself
to another candy.
"I meant Will and Frank," went on Betty. "They would like to come."
"I'm sure of it," murmured Grace-- literally murmured-- for she had a
marshmallow chocolate between her white teeth.
"How about Percy Falconer?" asked Amy, mischievously. "I am sure he
would wear a perfectly stunning-- to use his own word-- sailor suit."
"Don't you dare mention his name!" cried Betty. "I detest him."
"Let us have peace!" quoted Mollie. "Then it's all settled-- we'll
cruise and camp and---- "
"Cruise again," finished Betty. "For we have two months, nearly, ahead
of us; and we won't want to camp more than a week, perhaps. We can go
into the lower river, below Rainbow Lake, too, I think. It is
sometimes rough there, but the Gem is built for rough weather, Uncle
Amos says."
The girls discussed further the coming trip and then, as each one had
considerable to do still to get ready, they went gaily to their
several homes.
Will came in later, looked moodily into an empty candy box, and
exclaimed:
"You might have left a few, Sis."
"What! With four girls? Will, you expect too much."
"I wonder if I'll be disappointed in expecting a ride in Betty's
boat?"
"No, we are going to be very kind and forgiving, and ask you and
Frank. I believe Betty is planning it."
"Good for her. She's a brick! I wish, though, that we could clear up
this business about the papers."
"So do I. Wasn't it unfortunate?"
"Yes. How is little Dodo coming on?"
"Not very well, I'm afraid," and Grace sighed. The injury to the child
hung like a black shadow, over her. "The specialist is going to see
her soon again. He has some hopes."
"That's good; cheer up, Sis! Come on down town and I'll blow you to a
soda."
"'Blow'-- such slang!"
"It's no worse than 'hike.'"
"I suppose not. Wait until I fix my hair."
"Good night!" gasped Will. "I don't want to wait an hour. I'm
thirsty!"
"I won't be a minute."
"That's what they all say." But Grace was really not very long.
In answer to a telephone message next day the three chums assembled at
Betty's house.
"I think we will go for a little trip all by ourselves on the river
this afternoon," she said. "Every time so far Uncle Amos, or one of
the boys, has been with us. We must learn to depend on ourselves."
"That is so," agreed Mollie. "It will be lovely, it is such a nice
day."
"Just a little trip," went on Betty, "to see if we have forgotten
anything of our instructions."
Just then a clock chimed out eight strokes, in four sections of two
strokes each.
"Eight o'clock!" exclaimed Amy. "Your timepiece must be wrong, Betty.
It's nearer noon than eight."
"That's eight bells-- twelve o'clock," said the pretty hostess, with a
laugh. "That's a new marine clock Uncle Amos gave me for the Gem. It
keeps time just as it is done on shipboard."
"And when it's eight o'clock it's twelve," murmured Grace. "Do you
have to do subtraction and addition every time the clock strikes?"
"No, you see, eight bells is the highest number. It is eight bells at
eight o'clock, at four o'clock and at twelve-- either at night, or in
the daytime."
"Oh, I'm sure I'll never learn that," sighed Amy.
"It is very simple," explained Betty, "Now it is eight bells-- twelve
o'clock noon. At half-past twelve it will be one bell. Then half an
hour later, it will be two bells-- one o'clock. You see, every half
hour is rung."
"Worse and worse!" protested Mollie. "What time is it at two o'clock?"
"Four bells," answered Betty, promptly. "Why, I thought four bells was
four o'clock," spoke Grace.
"No, eight bells is four o'clock in the after-noon, and also four
o'clock in the morning. Then it starts over again with one bell, which
would be half-past four; two bells, five; three hells, half-past five,
and---- "
"Oh, stop! stop! you make my head ache!" cried Grace, "Has anyone a
chocolate cream?"
They all laughed.
"You'll soon understand it," said Betty.
"It's worse than remembering to turn the steering wheel the opposite
way you want to go," objected Mollie. "But we are young-- we may learn
in time."
The Gem was all ready to start, and the girls, reaching Mollie's
house, in the rear of which, at a river dock, the boat was tied, went
aboard.
"Have you enough gasoline?" asked Amy, as she helped Betty loosen the
mooring ropes.
"Yes, I telephoned for the man to fill the tank this morning. Look at
the automatic gauge and see if it isn't registered," for there was a
device on the boat that did away with the necessity of taking the top
off the tank and putting a dry stick down, to ascertain how much of
the fluid was on hand.
"Yes, it's full," replied Amy.
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