The Meadow-Brook Girls Afloat | Page 3

the man, for want of
something better to say.
The boat, originally, had been a scow used for the purpose of towing
the effects of summer residents of the island across the lake. Bert Elting
had bought it for a small sum of money, and had built the house over it.
He and a friend, had spent many days and nights aboard, anchored out
on the fishing grounds. When they desired to change their location a
launch usually could be found to tow them about.
At each end of the house there was a cockpit some three feet long. In
other words the house did not extend the full length of the boat. At the
rear there was a long-handed tiller. The boat was flat as a floor.
"If the inside is as handsome as the outside, we shall have the
nightmare all the time," declared Margery.
"We had better look at the inside," reflected Miss Elting.
There were doors at each end. The girls entered by the rear door.
"Mercy!" exclaimed the guardian. "How warm it is in here. Mr.
Dickinson, is there any glass in those windows?"
Dickinson shook his head.
"Then please knock out the boards."

Harriet already was doing this. She succeeded in ripping off a few
planks, letting in the fresh air and sunlight. What they saw then did not
please them. The floor was covered with rubbish. There was food
scattered about, the walls were greasy. At one side stood an old stove,
red with rust, its pipe dented in, and the ashes heaped high on the floor
where the last occupant had left them.
Harriet stepped over by the stove to get a different perspective of the
interior of the old craft. She rested one hand on the stove, but withdrew
it quickly. She seemed about to say something, then abruptly checked
her speech.
"Girls," said Miss Elting, "I don't know whether we shall be able to do
anything with this boat or not. What do you think?"
"Of course we shall," answered Harriet promptly. "A good scrubbing
and a little fixing up will make a delightful summer home of it."
"This is my treat, you know," interjected Jane. "That is, you know Miss
Elting was to furnish the boat and I was to do all the rest."
"Oh, no! We couldn't permit you to do that," answered the guardian.
"A bargain's a bargain," declared Jane. "I'll get the paint. You folks, in
the meantime, look the place over and see what else you need. I'll go
back to the village for the things you decide on when we get ready for
them."
"What color shall we paint the boat?" questioned Miss Elting.
"Red, of course," cried Harriet. "Surely, you wouldn't paint a 'Red
Rover' green, would you?"
"I think we had better paint the inside of the boat white," advised Miss
Elting.
"Then white it shall be," declared Jane. "Mr. Dickinson, you come with
me and show me where to get the paint. I'm off, girls. I think we'd

better stay at the hotel to-night. Our palatial yacht won't be ready for
us."
Jane hurried out, followed by Dickinson. He was eager to get away.
While she was gone the girls consulted with Miss Elting as to what was
necessary to be done to the boat. They were full of enthusiasm despite
the discouraging condition in which they had found the "Red Rover,"
for the possibilities of making it a delightful home, were plain to all of
them.
Jane McCarthy came racing back with her car, three quarters of an hour
later. Two men were in the car with her who wore overalls and small
round caps.
"Here are the painters who are going to make the outside of the boat
look pretty," cried the girl. "Now, men, get to work and do your best! If
you do a good job you get your money. If you don't, you get a ducking
in the pond! Here, girls, help me unload this stuff."
There were cans of paint, a mop, two brooms, tin and wooden pails,
scrub brushes, soap and a miscellaneous assortment of useful articles.
"Now, girls, let's get to work," cried Jane. "This is our busy day.
There'll be another man down here with some windows, soon. We've
got to have some hot water. Harriet, can you heat it?"
For answer Harriet hurried along the beach, picking up such dry sticks
as she could find. She soon had a fire started in the stove.
"We must stand by the fire with pails of water. I haven't much
confidence in that stovepipe," she exclaimed laughingly. "However, we
have plenty of water near, in case of need."
Tommy had gotten a broom and a dustpan and was already raising a
cloud of dust by her