"Perhaps we might help tow it in?" Betty suggested, striving to break the tension. "I think we could paddle lots faster in the canoes."
"Goodness, I would almost like to try it!" Mollie exclaimed. "I think they might get something modern on the lake--something real modern--around the eighteenth century."
"Oh, isn't she sarcastic," said Amy, putting an arm about her friend and patting her hand gently. "Never mind, Mollie, all things come in time."
Of course she was right, even Mollie had to admit it.
At the end of one of the longest half hours the girls had ever spent, the rickety little ferryboat scraped against the dock, and they ran down to meet the boys. The latter almost fell out of the boat, careless of what any one might think. At the first sight of them the girls were convinced their news was of the best.
"Oh, oh, hurry!" cried Mollie. "I thought you would never get here. Oh, you have something wonderful to tell us--I know it!"
"You bet we have!" cried Allen. "We have the very finest news you ever heard."
"Oh, what is it?" the girls cried in unison, and Mollie added pleadingly: "Don't keep us waiting any longer, boys, please."
"All right," Will agreed; for he was as anxious to tell as the girls were to hear. "Come to the house and we will tell you the whole story."
"But did you get them?" Mollie demanded. "I don't see why you have to wait till you get to the house to tell me that."
"You can see by their faces they have, Mollie," Betty assured her. "You had better not interfere--they will tell the story their own way, whatever you say."
By this time they had reached the house and called to Mrs. Irving to come and hear the news.
She joined them in a moment, and Will began.
"Well, you see," he said, "in the first place, Mr. Mendall didn't want to raise our hopes until he found out definitely whether anything there belonged to us."
"Don't interrupt," Will warned her. "You might sidetrack me or something."
"Oh, Will, don't be a goose!" cried his sister. "Go on."
"I'm not a goose," he declared with dignity, "and I expect to go on if I am given half a chance."
He paused for a reply, but as none was forthcoming and as only threatening looks met him on every side, he continued hurriedly.