They watched her skid around a sharp corner and heard her car for some
few moments thereafter, but that was all. They were too well used to
Crazy Jane McCarthy, by this time, to be surprised at anything she might
do or say.

The drive to Johnson's dock was a short one. The two girls made it in a
few moments. As they turned into the street that led down to the river
they opened their eyes a little wider, but neither spoke. Nor was there
a word said until they had driven out on the pier and halted the car.
Then both girls burst out in exclamations of amazement at the same
instant.

That which they discovered filled the hearts of the Meadow-Brook Girls
with alarm. The "Red Rover" was nowhere in sight. The shore end of the
rope, with which it had been secured to the dock when they anchored it
out in the lake, was still securely tied to the string piece at the
outer side of the dock.

"What is it, darlin'?" questioned Jane, with eyes wide and wondering.

"It looks to me very much as though our 'Red Rover' were at the bottom
of the lake, Jane. Oh, what shall we do if she has sunk? Something has
been going on here. Something occurred the first day we were here, to
excite my suspicion. And now this strange thing has happened. There's
the rowboat. Let's go out and look around. Oh, this is too bad, too
bad!"