"What can they do!" lamented Lena. "They will be soaked sure and perhaps
the river will rise and sweep them away."

In hard storms Lena had seen the water rise quickly and hide all of the
island except the bushes that grew upon it.

Lena could not telephone for help for there was no telephone in the
house. But she put her mind to work and thought of a way to rescue the
castaways.

"Come, Waggy," she called to her spaniel. "You must go to the market."

Lena wrote a message on a piece of paper and put it into the pail which
Waggy always carried when he went to the meat market.

"Mr. Jones," wrote Lena, "please send somebody to the island near our
house. Rob's boat has floated away and five friends of mine can't get
off the island. There's a big storm coming. Please be quick!"

Waggy took the note in his pail to the butcher thinking of course that
he was going to be given some meat to carry home. But he was surprised
to see Mr. Jones hurry away toward the river.

A little later Lena was overjoyed to see five very wet and draggled
friends of hers coming into her house to wait until the storm was over.

[Illustration: Lena was overjoyed to see five wet and draggled friends
of hers coming into her house.]