"It's Margaret," she cried. "Something's wrong. It looks like she's asleep."
But sleep in a water-logged rowboat in the middle of Lake Dubar was out of the question and Helen realized instantly that something unusual had happened to Margaret, something which would explain the whole joke which had turned out to be such a ghastly nightmare.
Jim Preston eased the _Liberty_ alongside the rowboat and Mr. Linder reached down and picked Margaret up. There was a dark bruise over her left eye and her clothes were soaked.
The boatman found an old blanket in one of the lockers and they wrapped Margaret in it and pillowed her head in Helen's lap.
Margaret's eyes were closed tightly but she was breathing slowly and her pulse was irregular.
"Hurry," Helen whispered to Jim Preston. "Head for Linder's. Her father will be there by this time."
The boatman sensed the alarm in Helen's words and he jerked open the throttle of the _Liberty_ and sent the boat racing through the night. In less than five minutes they were slowing down for the pier. The lights of a car were at the shore end of the landing and someone with an electric torch was awaiting their arrival. It was Doctor Stevens, pacing along the planks of the landing stage.
"Have you found Margaret?" he cried as the _Liberty_ sidled up to the pier.
"Got her right here," replied Jim Preston, "but she's got a bad bump on her head."
Doctor Stevens jumped into the boat and turned his flashlight on Margaret's face. Helen saw his lips tighten into a thin straight line. He felt her pulse.
"Run ahead," he told Ned Burns, "and tell Mother Linder to open one of those spare beds of hers and get me plenty of hot water."
He stooped and picked Margaret up in his arms, carrying her like a baby. Mr. Linder hurried ahead to light the way.
Helen stopped to talk with Jim Preston for a moment.
"I think you'd better take the class home," she said. "There's nothing more they can do here."
"Will you go back with them now?" asked the boatman.
"No, I'm going to stay here tonight. I'll phone mother."
Helen turned and ran toward the farmhouse. Inside there was an air of quiet, suppressed activity.
Doctor Stevens had carried Margaret into the large downstairs bedroom which Mother Linder reserved for company occasions. Two kerosene lamps on a table beside the bed gave a rich light which softened the pallor of Margaret's cheeks.