Jane and Harriet changed their wet clothing, ate breakfast and returned early in the forenoon.  With them they brought a chart of the big lake that they had bought of a boat owner.  While in the village Jane also had paid for the damaged rowboat and arranged for another, as it would be necessary to have a rowboat with them at all times.  A new anchor, this time a real one, was purchased and piled into the automobile.

The girls worked all that day setting their cabin to rights.  It was to them a delightful task, and late in the afternoon the cabin of the “Red Rover” was as homelike a place as one could wish.  Covers had been made for the folding cots, so that by day they offered attractive lounging places.  The upper deck had some rough seats, made by the carpenter who had put up the awning.  Then there were boxes for plants, in case the girls should wish to have flowers.  But it was the interior of the cabin that was the real delight.  The white walls and green trimmings gave it a fresh, cool appearance.  One could scarcely have believed this to be the lumbering, dirty, old fishing scow of a few days since.  Bert Elting never would have recognized the craft in its new dress.

That night the Meadow-Brook Girls decided to have their first meal on board.  They also decided to clear away and set sail before sitting down to the meal.  Jane drove her car to town, leaving it at a garage, after which she walked back to the dock.  She found the “Red Rover” ready to sail.  The girls were discussing the question of where to go for an anchorage for the night.

“Is that all?” called Jane.  “Leave it to the boat.  She’ll find a place for herself.  Say, I’m not going to try to tow that house out of here with all these boats about.”

There were launches and steamers coming in constantly.  The waters in that vicinity were dotted with rowboats and small skiffs as well.  Jane did not like the idea of dragging out the “Red Rover” through that gathering of craft.  Neither did Harriet Burrell.  Jane was looking over the launches and their occupants as they came up to the dock either to take on or discharge passengers.  All at once she pounced upon two boys, who had left a third boy on the dock and bade him good-bye.

“Will you give us a tow?” demanded Jane.

“Where do you want to go?” answered one of the lads, touching his cap.

“Which way are you going?”

“Down the lake.”

“That’s the way we are going.  Say, which way is down the lake?” she asked Harriet in a whisper.  The latter indicated the direction by a wave of the hand.

“We’ll give you a rope and tell you when you are to drop us,” added Jane.

The boys regarded the houseboat rather dubiously.  They did not know whether or not their little launch would be able to tow it.  Jane and Harriet explained to their companions that they were to have a tow.  Then the two girls made fast the line, carrying the latter to the motor boat, after which they cast off from the pier.