Mrs. Wilford was quite as happy as the boys to find that the steamer was not at the bottom of the lake again; and she returned to the cottage with a light heart, when she had seen the wherry leave the shore. From the deepest depths of despondency, if not despair, the young engineers had been raised to the highest pinnacle of hope and joy when the _Woodville_ was discovered on the other side of the lake. She had drifted in behind a point of land, and could not be seen from the ferry. They had gone out to the place where she had been anchored, near the Goblins; and while they were gazing down into the deep water in search of her, Ethan happened to raise his eyes and saw her on the other side of the lake. What a thrill went through his heart as he recognized her! And what a thrill he communicated to Lawry when he pointed her out to him! "Why, the casks are all gone!" exclaimed Ethan. "All gone!" replied Lawry. "She must be aground," added Ethan; "but she sets out of water a great deal farther than when we left her." "We shall soon find out what the matter is," continued Lawry. "She is safe, and on the top of the water; that's enough for me at the present time." "What does this mean?" he exclaimed. "I don't know. The water couldn't have run out of her without some help," replied Ethan. "I don't understand it," added Lawry. "The casks are all gone, and the steamer has been pumped out. Somebody must have done this work." "That's true," said Ethan. "Somebody has certainly been here." "There's no doubt of that; but I can't see, for the life of me, what they wanted to set her adrift for." "Nor I; they were good friends to pump her out for us, whoever they were. In my opinion, Mr. Sherwood knows something about this job." "But slipping the cables looks just as though they intended to have her smashed up on the shore," added Lawry. "The anchors are not here, and, of course, they are on the bottom of the lake. I don't see through this business." "Nor I, either; but one thing we can see through; the steamer is safe, with the water all pumped out of her. We may as well go to work, and get her over to the ferry." This was good counsel, and without losing any more time in attempts to fathom what was dark and strange, they commenced the labors of the day. CHAPTER XIII GETTING UP STEAM A survey of the position of the _Woodville_ showed that she was slightly aground at the stern; but Ethan was confident that a few turns of the wheels would bring her off. The boys then tried the pumps; but after less than a hundred strokes they refused to yield any more water. They then carefully examined every part of the interior below the decks. "She's all right," said Lawry. "What shall we do now?" "Get up steam," replied Ethan. "I have a couple of hours' work to do on the engine; but we will start the furnaces at once." "Can't I make the fire?" asked Lawry. "Yes, if you know how."