"A dozen if you like, Belle."

"And you'll promise not to go outside the bay--you'll stay where it's calm?"

"I promise!" exclaimed Cora, raising her right hand.

Rosalie came out of the lighthouse in her bathing suit.

"That girl fairly lives in the water," said Eline.

"If I could swim as she does I would too," spoke Bess.

"h.e.l.lo!" called Rosalie, genially. "Isn't it lovely after the storm?"

"Yes," said Cora. "Have they heard anything more about the missing girl?"

"No. And no one seems to know who she was. Are you going for a spin?"

"We thought of it. Would you like to come?"

"I'd just love it! Only I haven't time to change, perhaps, and I don't want to----"

"Come just as you are--in your bathing suit," invited Cora, and Rosalie did.

The boys must have finished pressing their trousers, or attending to whatever part of the personal attire needed attention, for when the girls got back to the float, and were getting the _Pet_ in shape for a spin, Jack and Ed hurried down to look over the _Duck_. Both boats needed pumping out, for the water had rained in, and Walter and Norton were good enough to attend to this tiresome work for the girls.

Soon the two craft were moving over the sparkling waters of the Cove, which seemed to be trying to make up for what the sea had done the day before.

The boats kept close together, and talk and gay laughter pa.s.sed back and forth. Then Jack and his chums, declaring they were going to see how far out toward the sea they could venture with safety, speeded up and left Cora and the girls in the _Pet_ somewhat behind. But they did not mind--in fact, Belle insisted on keeping in safe waters. Nor was Cora averse to this.

The girls had been cruising about for perhaps an hour when Eline called:

"What is that over there?"

She pointed to a dark ma.s.s on the surface of the bay. Rosalie stood up to look.

"It's a lot of spars lashed together," she reported. "A sort of raft.

Maybe it is from the wrecked vessel."

"Then if it's a raft there is some one on it!" cried Eline.

CHAPTER XXIV

SAFE ASh.o.r.e

"It's a girl!"

It was Cora who said this as the motor boat drew close to the floating logs.

"A girl!" echoed Belle.

"Yes; can't you see her long hair?"

All the girls were standing up--even Cora, who had to bend over to maintain her grip on the steering wheel. They all peered anxiously toward the floating object.

Certainly that was a figure on it--a figure of a girl--sea-drenched and washed over by each succeeding wave.

"She's tied fast to that raft!" cried Bess.

"And her head is up on a sort of box--that keeps her mouth out of the water," added Eline. "Oh, but she looks----"

"Don't say it!" commanded Cora, sharply, and Eline stopped.

"Oh, if only the boys were here!" breathed Bess. "They could help us--help her," and she motioned to the limp figure on the raft.

"We don't need the boys!" exclaimed Cora, sharply. "We can make the rescue ourselves. That is if----"

"Don't say it!" commanded Eline, thus "getting back" at Cora.

"Oh, do steer over there!" begged Bess, as Cora did not seem to be bringing the motor boat quickly enough toward the raft of spars. "We must get to her!"

"I am going to," answered Cora.

"Oh, do you suppose she can be from the wreck?" asked Belle.

"I think very likely," spoke Cora.

"Those spars--they are from the ship," declared Rosalie. "They are broken pieces of the masts, perhaps. Some one must have made a raft before the vessel broke up, and she lashed herself to it. I have often heard my father tell of such things."

"Oh, do get her, Cora!" exclaimed Belle, clasping her hands.

"Don't go too close," warned the lighthouse maid. "Some of those spars have jagged ends, and a b.u.mp would mean a hole in your boat, Miss Kimball."

"Don't, for mercy's sake!" voiced Bess, clutching Cora's arm.

"And don't you do that to my arm or I can't steer," came the retort. "I'll be careful."

As the motor boat came nearer the girls could see more plainly the figure on the raft. It was that of a young girl, with light hair, that was now darkened by the sea water. She seemed to have wrapped herself in some blankets, or rugs, tying them about her waist, and then had lashed herself fast to the spars, or some seaman had done it for her.

She sat with her head against a box, which seemed to be nailed to the raft, and several turns of rope were pa.s.sed about this in such a manner as to maintain the girl in a half-reclining position.

The waves broke over the lower part of her body, but her head was out of the water, though whether this had been the case when the raft was in the open sea was a question. Clearly much water must have washed over the raft, and perhaps the buffeting of the waves had rendered her unconscious.

"Look out!" warned Rosalie, as Cora sent the boat in a graceful sweep toward the raft. "Don't go any nearer."