"Then we had better take to the rowboat. I don't understand this at
all," said Harriet, in a troubled voice.

"Just a minute, Harriet. Will you look at this and tell Jane McCarthy
the meaning of it?" She extended the end of the rope toward Harriet. The
latter took it, permitting the dripping rope to lie across the palm of
one hand for a minute. Harriet glanced up at her companion with troubled
eyes.

"Do you know what has been done to it?" asked Harriet.

"I think so," nodded Jane.

"The rope has been cut," reflected Harriet.

"It has," agreed Jane.

"But, who could have done such a thing?" Harriet wondered.

"If I knew, I'd make him suffer for this piece of work," retorted Jane.

"I don't know; I can't even think," answered Harriet solemnly. "What do
you suppose has become of the boat, Jane?"

"Goodness knows," replied Jane.

"I'm going to search the lake." Harriet ran around the end of the pier,
where, shoving off the rowboat, she leaped in. Jane followed her. "I'm
going to the west. The wind is blowing that way."