When the girls finished their work that night Crazy Jane McCarthy had spent quite a sum of money, but the equipment for the “Red Rover” was as nearly complete as they were able to make it.  Just before sunset they went out to watch Miss Elting paint the name on the side of the boat.  In large, neat letters she painted the name in white.  The letters stood out in bold relief against the brilliant red of the boat.

“I propose three cheers for the artist,” cried Harriet.

“Wait a minute,” called Tommy.

“Well, what is it?” demanded Margery.

“The job ith not finithhed yet.  Mith Elting hathn’t painted the name on the other thide.”

“That is true, but to do so I should have to stand in the water,” laughed the guardian.

“If you must paint the other side, of course we can turn the boat around,” said Harriet.  “I think a name on one side will answer our purpose for the present.  Later on we can finish the job, if we think best.”

“Yes,” agreed Jane.  “We’ve done enough for the present.  Don’t forget that we’ve got to settle the house in the morning.  I want you all to think hard to-night, to see if we have forgotten anything.”

“The only thing we have forgotten is our dinner.  We haven’t had a bite to eat since morning,” Margery Brown reminded her friends.

“Margery can’t think of anything but thomething to eat,” laughed Tommy.  “You mutht learn to eat atmothphere when you’re hungry.  That ith the way I do.”

“I fear you will never grow fat on that sort of diet,” laughed the guardian.

“I don’t want to get fat, like Buthter,” replied Tommy scornfully.

In the meantime Harriet and Jane had drawn away from the others and were engaged in a whispered conversation.  Then the two girls got into the rowboat dragged the houseboat out into the lake, a few rods, and anchored it.  They did not explain their action.  The other girls laughed at them, and Miss Elting questioned them with her eyes but said nothing.  She knew the two girls had some good reason for anchoring the “Red Rover” a little distance from the shore.

Early on the following morning, Jane and Harriet were out, loading the automobile with the supplies that had been delivered at the hotel the previous night.  The car was piled high with bundles of various shapes and sizes.  There was room for Jane and Harriet in front, but none for their companions elsewhere.

“We will go down to the dock with the stuff,” explained Harriet, “then come back in time to take breakfast with you girls.  We shan’t try to put the supplies on board.  We’ll just dump them on the pier.”

“You can put them on the boat if you want to.  I don’t care,” answered Grace.

“Tommy is trying to get out of working to-day,” scoffed Margery.

“I’m not,” protested the little lisping girl indignantly.  “If I were ath fat ath you, I might.  I’ll work after breakfatht, but I won’t work before breakfatht.”