“What a marvelous imagination you have,” jeered Jane.

“All this talk doesn’t help us to solve the mystery,” averred Hazel.  “How did we get here?”

“We do not know, but we are going to find out,” replied Harriet.

“How?”

“I can’t tell you.  Something will turn up to give us a clue to this and the other mysteries.  I have my suspicions of the Tramp Club in this matter.  I am very glad that the rope was not cut, this time, or thrown overboard after being removed from the boat.  If the boys are responsible for this, rest assured they’ll be the first to tell us.  You know the island that we admired so much from a distance, Miss Elting?

“We are within a mile of it now.  After breakfast, with your permission I’ll row over,” continued Harriet.  “I want to see that island at close range.  Jane, will you come with me?” Jane was prompt to accept Harriet’s invitation.  Miss Elting also was invited, but concluded to remain with the other girls on the houseboat.

Harriet and her companion rowed rapidly to the island shortly after breakfast.  It was a good sized island, as they discovered by rowing down one side of it, the side nearest to the shore of the mainland near which the houseboat was anchored.  The girls rowed in so close that they were able to reach up and touch the foliage overhead and in places it trailed in the water.  The island was rocky, still it was heavily wooded.  One side of it was popular with picnic parties, but on the side where the girls were few boats ever landed.  As they were rowing slowly along the edge, Harriet’s eyes were constantly searching the shore.

“This is about what I thought we should find, Jane.”

“What are you looking for, dear?”

“I am trying to find a place where we can run the ‘Red Rover’ in under the trees, and where the boat cannot be seen from the lake on either side of the island.”

“You will have to change its color then.  Why, in the sunlight you could see that tub fifty miles away.”

Harriet did not answer.  She had rested on the oars, and was peering over her right shoulder towards the thicket at the shore of the island.

“No, my dear, not where I am going to put the boat provided there is room for it.  Do you see that current swirling right into the island there?  I saw that from the deck of the ‘Red Rover,’ this morning, when looking through the glasses.  At least I thought it was a current.  The water everywhere else was very still, but a slight discoloration there, as you see it, led me to believe there was a creek running into the island.”

“You have sharp eyes, Harriet.  But where’s your creek?  I don’t see it,” laughed Jane.

“Neither do I. There may be no creek there, but if there is, it’s going to be a splendid place to hide.”

“Hide?” wondered Jane.

“Yes.”

“But why should we hide, darlin’?”

“In that way we may be able to get some clue to our unknown enemy,” nodded Harriet.  “If the boys did tow us over here, of course they’ll wonder what became of us.”