“Gracious, I hope we haven’t violated any rules,” murmured Betty, as she slowed down, for she caught a motion that indicated that the two young men in the boat wished to speak to her.

As they came nearer Grace uttered an exclamation.

“What is it?” asked Mollie.

“Those young men—­ in the boat.  I’m sure they’re the same two who were in the auto that made Prince run away!  Oh, what shall I do?”

CHAPTER XIII

 Crackers and olives

Betty grasped the situation, and acted quickly, as she always did in an emergency.

“Are you sure, Grace?” she asked.  She could speak without fear of the men in the racing boat overhearing her, for they had thrown out their clutch, a moment later letting it slip into reverse, and the churning propeller, and the throb of the motor, made it impossible for them to hear what was said aboard the Gem.  “Are you sure, Grace?” repeated Betty.

“Well, almost.  Of course I only had a glimpse of them, but I have good cause to remember them.”

“Don’t say anything now, then,” suggested Betty.  “We will wait and see what they say.  Later we may be able to make sure.”

“All right,” Grace agreed, looking intently at the two young men.  They seemed nice enough, and were smiling in a pleasant, frank manner at the outdoor girls and Aunt Kate.  The two boats were now slowly drifting side by side on Rainbow Lake, the motors of both stilled.

“I beg your pardon,” said the darker complexioned of the two men, “my name is Stone, and this is my friend, Mr. Kennedy.  We are on the regatta committee and we’d like to get as many entries for the water pageant as we can.  Is your boat entered yet?”

He gazed from one girl to another, as though to ascertain who was in command of the newly arrived craft, which seemed to have attracted considerable attention, for a number of other boats were centering about her.

“We have just arrived,” spoke Betty in her capacity as captain.  “We are cruising about, and we haven’t heard of any regatta or pageant, except a rumor that one was to be held some time this summer.”

“Well, it’s only been in process of arrangement for about a week,” explained Mr. Stone.  “It will be the first of its kind to be held on the lake, and we want it to be a success.  Nearly all of the campers and summer cottagers, who have motor boats, have agreed to enter the parade, and also in the races.  We’d like to enter you in both.  We have different classes, handicapped according to speed, and your craft looks as though it could go some.”

“It can,” Betty admitted, while Grace was intently studying the faces of the two young men.  The more she looked at them, the more convinced she was that they were the ones who had been in the auto.

“We saw you arrive,” said Mr. Kennedy, who, Mollie said afterward, had a pleasant voice, “and we hurried over to get you down on the list the first thing.”