"I begged her on my knees not to shut me up. I felt then that I would rather die than be shut up again, for I only got out this morning. That's my room," said she, with a shudder, as she pointed to an attic window in the rear of the house. "Miss Loraine, we will stand by you!" I exclaimed, with enthusiasm, for my feelings had been strongly worked upon by her story. "But you must go to the house, and get warm clothing. Bob and I will go with you." "But I shall be sent to my room at once." "If you are, we will get you out this very night, if we have to lift the roof off the house to do it." Kate was fearful; but whatever happened, we were determined that she should have dry clothing. I ran the Splash up to the pier, where Mrs. Loraine was impatiently waiting for the boat. CHAPTER III. IN WHICH ERNEST CALLS UPON MRS. LORAINE. "I BEGAN to fear that you did not intend to return, young gentlemen," said Mrs. Loraine, as the Splash came up on the leeward side of the pier. "I am afraid this young lady has given you a great deal of trouble." "No trouble at all," I replied. "She is a wayward and disobedient girl. I have trouble enough with her, but I do not wish to have her trouble other people," continued Mrs. Loraine; and I could see that the glances she bestowed upon her step-daughter were full of malice. "She seems to have some trouble herself, or she wouldn't have jumped into the lake." "She would not have done that if she hadn't seen your boat close by," added the lady. "I fear she will take cold," said I, wishing to draw the woman out as much as possible. "There is no danger. She would be in the water half the time if I would let her. She is a troublesome girl." Mrs. Loraine certainly took the matter quite coolly, and did not seem to realize or to believe that the troublesome miss had actually jumped into the lake to escape from her cruelty. She told Kate to get out of the boat, and go into the house. The terrified girl obeyed in silence, and with trembling frame. "Go to your room, and put on dry clothes," she added, as Kate walked up the pier. "She is a very naughty girl; but I am much obliged to you, young gentlemen, for the trouble you have taken on her account." "We were very glad to serve her," I replied, fastening the painter of my boat to a ring in the pier, as the lady walked towards the house. Bob and I stepped on shore and followed her--a movement which seemed to annoy her very much; but we were too decidedly in earnest to care what she thought or felt. Without any consultation with my companion, I had by this time made up my mind that Miss Kate had the rights of the case; that Mrs. Loraine was a female tyrant. I did not consider that her family affairs did not concern me, and I had already concluded to adopt the policy of intervention, without regard to consequences.