“We will not!” exclaimed Betty, above the noise.  She shifted the wheel to bring the boat head-on to the waves, and this made her ride on a more even keel.  Then, with a downpour, accompanied by terrific thunder and vivid lightning, the storm broke.  Betty bravely stood to her post, the others offering to relieve her, but she would not give up the wheel, and remained there until the little dock was reached.  Then, making snug their craft, they raced for the tent.  It had stood up well, for it was protected from the gale by big elm trees.  Soon they were in shelter.

And then, almost as suddenly as it had come up, the storm passed.  The clouds seemed to melt away, and the sun came out, the shower passing to the East.

Grace, who had gone out on the end of the dock, called to the others.

“Oh, come on and see it!”

“What—­ the ghost?” inquired Mollie.

“No, but the most beautiful rainbow I ever saw—­ a double one!”

They came beside her, and Grace pointed to where, arching the heavens, were two bows of many colors, one low down, vivid and perfect, the other above it—­ a fainter reflection.  As the sun came out from behind the clouds the colors grew brighter.

“How lovely!” murmured Amy, clasping her hands.

“Yes, it is the most brilliant bow I have ever seen,” added Aunt Kate.  “It seems almost like like a painted one.”  I would be more poetical if I were Mr. Lagg,” and she laughed.

“It is very vivid,” went on Betty.  “In fact I have heard it said that on account of the peculiar situation of this lake, the high mountains around it, and the clouds, there are brighter rainbows here than anywhere else in this country.  That is how the lake got its name—­ Rainbow.  It was the Indians who first gave it that, I was told, though I don’t know the Indian name for rainbow.”

“We don’t need to—­ this is beautiful as it is,” murmured Grace.  “Oh, isn’t it wonderful!” and they stood there admiring the beautiful scene, and recalling the old story of the bow—­ the promise of the Creator after the flood that never again would the world be submerged.

Then the light gradually died from the colored arches, to be repeated again in the wonderful cloud effects at sunset.  The storm had been like the weeping of a little child, who smiles before its tears—­ and afterward.

CHAPTER XXI

 The ghost

“Girls, there are letters for each of us!” exclaimed Betty.

“Any for me?” asked Aunt Kate.

“Yes, a nice—­ adipose—­ that is to say, fleshy one,” exclaimed Mollie, passing it over.  It was bulky.

The girls had stopped at the store of Mr. Lagg, where they had sent word to have their mail forwarded.  The occasion was a morning visit several days after they had established their camp on Elm Island.

“Any news?” asked Betty of Mollie, the former having finished a brief note from home, stating that all were well.