The bow was a mere shell, however. The flames had already almost consumed it, and soon the fire fairly ate through the bows at the water level. The water rushed in and so sank the boat by the head. Not that the boat went straight down. The stern rose in the water and the two men, in their desperate strait, gazed at the flames above their heads. Had it been night the fire would have been like a great torch in the middle of the lake--and it would have brought help from all directions. As it was, the black smoke first thrown off, and then the steam, attracted more than the girls of Green Knoll Camp to the scene. At the landing Mr. Jarley was splicing some heavy rope which he expected to use the next day when the sunken _Bright Eyes_ would be actually raised. Polly saw the smoke first from the cottage and ran out to tell him. "One of those motor boats is afire, Father!" she cried. Instantly the boatman set about going to the rescue. It was a fair day, but there was a good breeze blowing. Jarley took the _Coquette_. He had no idea to whom he was playing the friend in need when he sailed the catboat down upon the scene of the disaster. It was a chance to help two fellow beings and the boatman cared not who they were. Of course the sailing craft beat out the two frantically paddling girls from Green Knoll Camp. Yet it was still a long way from the spot when the last of the burning boat seemed to sink completely and the flames were snuffed out by the waters of the lake. CHAPTER XXIX THE SUNKEN TREASURE Wyn and Frank were in despair when they saw the last of the flames wink out and the balloon of smoke sail away upon the breeze. They were too far away to be able to see the men struggling in the water--if they were still there. "Oh! suppose Mr. Jarley doesn't reach them in time?" cried the captain of the girls' club. "He must! he must!" groaned Frank, beating the water as hard as she could with her paddle. "You'll have your canoe over!" exclaimed Wyn. "Look out, Frank!" "I don't care! I don't care!" repeated the good-hearted Frances. "Oh, dear me! Suppose Mr. Lavine should be drowned? What would Bessie do? And they so much to each other!" The girls saw the catboat round to suddenly, and Mr. Jarley drop the sail. The _Coquette_ seemed to drive straight across the spot where the burned motor boat had gone down. They saw the boatman bend over the rail once--and then again. Each time he lifted in--or helped lift in--some object; but whether it was the men he picked up, or some of the floating wreckage, the girls could not see. They drove their canoes on, however, and Mr. Jarley saw them when he brought the catboat about. So he sailed down to pick them up likewise. "Did you get them? Did you get them?" shouted Wyn, resting on her paddle. Frankie was crying--and she was not a "weepy" girl as a general thing. But the peril seemed so terrible that she could not control herself for the moment.