“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 burden.

Harriet was gasping.  She had held her breath until she could hold it no longer.  The result was that she had swallowed considerable water.  Crazy Jane was working over her.  It was but a few minutes before Harriet Burrell had wholly recovered from the effects of the recent catastrophe.  She was considerably bruised and was rendered nervous by her trying experience.

“Is—­is the small boat damaged?” she gasped.

“Never mind the small boat.  There are more boats where that came from,” answered Jane.  “You lie down here while I go for another boat.  Shall I get some one to help us?”