<h2><SPAN name="chap22"></SPAN>CHAPTER XXII<br/> WHAT MOLLIE FOUND</h2>
<p>“Did you get—it?”</p>
<p>Betty hesitated a moment over the question.</p>
<p>Will, Frank and Allen stood just outside the tent of the girls. They had come
back from a hurried race after the white object that had again disturbed the
slumbers of the campers.</p>
<p>“We only had a glimpse of it,” answered Will. “Then it seemed
to melt into the water.”</p>
<p>“But it was big,” said Frank.</p>
<p>“And made lots of noise,” added Allen.</p>
<p>“That’s just the way it acted before,” declared Mollie.</p>
<p>In dressing gowns, warmly wrapped up, and in slippers, the girls were talking
through the opened flap of the tent to Grace’s brother and his chums.</p>
<p>“Can you imagine what it may be?” asked Aunt Kate. She had been
making chocolate—a seemingly never-failing remedy for night alarms.</p>
<p>“Haven’t the least idea,” answered Will, “unless
it’s someone trying to play a so-called practical joke.”</p>
<p>“I’d like to get hold of the player,” announced Allen.
“I’d run him off——”</p>
<p>“Off the scale,” interrupted Betty, with a laugh.</p>
<p>“That’s it,” conceded Allen. “Are you girls all
right?”</p>
<p>“All but our nerves,” answered Grace.</p>
<p>The boys made a search in the gloom, but found nothing, and once more quiet
settled down. Nor were they disturbed again that night. In the morning they
laughed.</p>
<p>“Oh, but it’s hot!” exclaimed Mollie during the forenoon,
when the question of dinner was being discussed. “I think we might go for
a swim. There’s a nice sandy beach at the side of our dock.”</p>
<p>“Let’s!” proposed Grace. The boys had gone off fishing.</p>
<p>Soon the girls were splashing around in the lake, making a pretty picture in
their becoming bathing suits, of which they had more use than they had
anticipated.</p>
<p>“Let’s try some diving!” proposed Mollie, always a daring
water sprite. “It’s lovely and deep here,” and she looked
down from the end of the dock.</p>
<p>“I wish I dared dive,” said Amy. She was a rather timid swimmer,
slow and deliberate, probably able to keep afloat for a long time, but always
timid in deep water.</p>
<p>“Here goes!” cried impulsive Mollie, as she poised for a flash into
the water.</p>
<p>She went down cleanly, but was rather long coming up. Grace and Betty looked
anxiously at one another.</p>
<p>“She is——” began Betty.</p>
<p>Mollie flashed into sight like a seal.</p>
<p>“I—I found something!” she panted.</p>
<p>“Did you strike bottom?” asked Betty.</p>
<p>“Almost. But that’s all right. I’m going down again. There is
something down there. Maybe it’s the ghost!”</p>
<p>“Oh, do be careful!” cautioned Betty, but Mollie was already in the
water. She was longer this time coming up, and Betty was getting nervous. Then
Mollie shot into view.</p>
<p>“I—I found it!” she gasped.</p>
<p>“What?” chorused the others.</p>
<p>“The missing canoe those boys have been looking for! It is down there on
the bottom, freighted with stones. We will get it up for them!”</p>
<div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />
1 of 2
2 of 2
Previous
Next
Update Required
To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.