"Not too far," stipulated the girl who had figured in the runaway.
"We must be back for lunch, which will be served in about an hour.
Our church and Sunday-school are having a picnic."

"Maybe Mr. Swift will come and have some lunch with us," suggested
Miss Carson, blushing prettily.

"Nothing would give me greater pleasure," answered Tom, and then
he laughed at his formal reply, the girls joining in.

"We'd be glad to have you," added Miss Haddon. "Oh!" she suddenly
screamed, "the boat's tipping over!"

"Oh, no," Tom hastened to assure her, coming, to the side to help
her in. "It just tilts a bit, with the weight of so many on one
side. It couldn't capsize if it tried."

In another moment the three were in the roomy cockpit and Tom had
made the empty rowboat fast to the stern. He was about to start
up when from another boat, containing two little girls and two
slightly larger boys, came a plaintive cry:

"Oh, mister, give us a ride!"

"Sure!" agreed Tom pleasantly. "Just fasten your boat to the
other rowboat and I'll tow you."

One of the boys did this, and then, with three pretty girls as his
companions in the ARROW and towing the two boats, Tom started off.