They may not be coming here, but if they are, they will be here in a very few minutes."

"Who will be here?" demanded Crazy Jane. "Why don't you tell us what all the uproar is about?"

"Yes. You might better tell us than to frighten us half to death in this way," complained Margery.

"It is the boys. We think they are coming here to play a trick on us, and if so, we wish to be ready for them," explained Harriet, who was hurriedly dressing. The girls lost no time in putting on their clothes, each dressing herself completely. Their hair, braided down their backs for the night, was left as it was. There was no time to do anything with that.

"The boys are putting off in the rowboat, or at least getting ready to do so," Miss Elting informed the girls, after another look at the camp through the gla.s.ses. "What shall we do?"

"I will fix it," answered Harriet. She rummaged about at the rear of the cabin, then ran out to the after deck. They heard her on the upper deck shortly after that. She soon bustled back into the cabin.

"They have started. All of you get up on the deck overhead. Listen! I will tell you briefly what we will do. We will give the boys a scare that they won't soon forget."

There were hurried preparations within the cabin of the "Red Rover,"

following Harriet Burrell's quick orders, which were approved of by Miss Elting. The girls then crept to the upper deck, where they crouched down, peering across the water that lay between the houseboat and the island.

"There they come! Not a word from now on, girls," warned Miss Elting.

CHAPTER XV

THE ROUT OF THE PIRATE CREW

"Take your positions, and don't miss when I give the order to let go,"

commanded Captain Harriet. "Oh, we won't do a thing to those boys!"

Margery giggled.

"Silence!" The captain's voice was stern.

"If you cannot keep quiet you will have to go below," rebuked Miss Elting. "You will spoil it all. Now, not another word."

The silence of sleep settled over the "Red Rover." A gentle ripple at the bows gave off a soothing, musical sound, but that was all. The girls were now able to see a boat approaching them from the island, though unable to make out the forms of the occupants of the craft. Miss Elting, with gla.s.ses in hand, was studying the approaching boat. Fortunately the night was dark, though the stars were shining brilliantly.

"All lie down!" came the quiet command from the captain of the "Red Rover." All except Harriet flattened themselves on the deck. The rowboat drew slowly up toward the scow, then was permitted to drift in the rest of the way. When almost alongside, the boys in the rowboat decided to go around to the other side. This nearly upset the plans of Harriet Burrell, but she quickly moved her force to the opposite side of the deck near the stern end. Had the boys been sufficiently alert they might have caught a faint rattle and a scuffle of feet. They were too intent on their mission, however, to realize that anything out of the ordinary was going on aboard the houseboat.

A whispered conversation ensued in the rowboat, then two boys got cautiously to the deck of the c.o.c.kpit. There followed a period of silence and a low-spoken command from below.

A mighty yell suddenly broke from the midnight visitors. Howls and shrieks, Indian war-whoops and beating on the cabin with sticks, accompanied the shouts.

"Pirates! Surrender!" howled a voice that was easily recognizable as belonging to the red-headed Larry Goheen. "Whoop! Hi-yi-yip yah!"

"We will settle the pirates," muttered Harriet.

"Just listen to those lads," chuckled Crazy Jane.

"Let go!" The command came sharp and incisive. A rattle of tin dishes followed. Pails and pans were raised to the rail as five figures stood up suddenly. "Stand by to repel boarders!" was the second command. Five pans and pails of water were tilted, sending a flood of water down on the heads of the surprised "pirates." From a tub of water on deck the pails were quickly refilled and the water dumped over the rail. Not many drops were wasted. Nearly every drop reached a pirate.

Crazy Jane uttered a shrill war-whoop, then the girls grabbed and shook her. The amazed pirates were in a panic. Three of them had been left on the lower deck of the "Red Rover." The rowboat had been quickly pushed off as soon as the occupants recovered from their first surprise. The three Tramps made a leap for the rowboat. They landed in the lake with a splash and went floundering toward the small boat.

Tommy climbed to the rail and hurled a pan at the beaten pirates. But in hurling the pan she lost her balance.

"Thave me!" she screamed. Tommy plunged sideways from the rail, making a complete turn in the air, landing in the lake with a mighty splash.

Harriet dived off after her, fearing that her little companion might have been stunned by striking the water on her back. But Tommy came up before Harriet rose from her dive.

"Oh, thave me!" wailed Tommy in a choking voice.

All this had happened without the boys understanding what was going on.

They had taken aboard their three companions and were pulling into the shadow of the island with all speed. Miss Elting and Jane had run down to the lower deck. The guardian cast a rope. Harriet and Tommy brushed the rope aside and swam easily to the end of the boat, where Harriet a.s.sisted Tommy up, afterwards being herself a.s.sisted aboard by Crazy Jane. The two thoroughly soaked girls staggered into the cabin, where Harriet sat down on the floor, laughing hysterically.

Miss Elting pulled down the shades and lighted the lamp. She stood regarding her charges with a quizzical twinkle in her eyes.

"What a mess! What a mess," laughed Crazy Jane. "But we repelled the boarders, didn't we, darlin'?"

"They won't try to play any tricks on us after this, I am sure," agreed the guardian. "I'll warrant they are still wondering what happened to them. But it was too bad. What a wetting they did get!"

"Too bad!" exploded Harriet.

"No. It served them right," interjected Hazel. "Why, they might have frightened us to death."

"They will be at our feet to-morrow," giggled Jane. "Tommy, did you ever have any one fall at your feet!"

"Yeth. You know Jake Thpooner? Well, he had a conniption fit, one day, in the thtreet, and fell down right at my feet."

"You mean an epileptic fit. But you shouldn't joke about a serious matter like that," rebuked Miss Elting.

"I wathn't joking. He did. It wath Buthter who laughed. I didn't. But Buthter ith fat, you know. Fat folkth alwayth laugh when they thhouldn't. They thhake all over when they laugh. I'm glad I'm not fat like Buthter."

Margery's face was flushed and indignant. Her companions were laughing merrily at her expense. Harriet had gotten up and was removing her wet clothing. Miss Elting lifted Tommy, who also had sat down, and gave her a gentle push toward the dressing room.

"Take off your wet clothes and get on your kimono. Girls, you may as well prepare for bed, too. I don't believe we shall be troubled by pirates again this night," said the guardian, with a merry twinkle in her eyes. "You will not want to get up in the morning when you are called. I fear we are losing too much sleep these nights."

While they were preparing for bed Miss Elting took a final look at the camp of the Tramp Club. There was activity there, but not nearly so much of it as the last time she had examined the camp through her gla.s.ses.

The guardian smiled grimly at thought of the surprise they had given those fun-loving boys. They had thought to make good their boast to get the better of the Meadow-Brook Girls, but had met an ignominious defeat.

"I should not be surprised to see that camp deserted to-morrow morning,"

mused Miss Elting. "I hope not. They are nice boys."

"Are they coming out again?" asked a voice at the guardian's side.

"No, Harriet. I think not. I am just taking a final look their way before retiring. Did we leave the pails and pans upstairs?"

"Yes. Shall I bring them down?"

"Oh, no. It is not necessary. Morning will be time enough. Now go to bed. We shall not be disturbed again to-night. Good night, girls. Sweet dreams."