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The Bungalow Mystery · Chapter

Racing the Storm explained

Nancy Drew and Helen Corning are caught in a sudden, violent storm while out on Moon Lake in a motorboat.

What happens

Nancy Drew and Helen Corning are caught in a sudden, violent storm while out on Moon Lake in a motorboat. Despite their efforts to race back to camp, the boat strikes a log and begins to sink. The girls struggle to bail water and call for help, but the boat capsizes, leaving them in grave danger.

Themes in this chapter

  • Courage and Perseverance

    Nancy and Helen fight to save their boat and themselves despite the overwhelming storm and sinking craft.

  • Resourcefulness and Ingenuity

    Nancy uses her coat to plug the hole and both girls bail water, demonstrating quick problem-solving under pressure.

Characters to notice

  • Nancy Drew

    Shows quick thinking and courage as she tries to steer the boat, stuffs her coat into the hole, and shouts for help.

  • Helen Corning

    Anxious and frightened, she steers the boat, bails water, and despairs as the boat sinks.

Key passages

  • Directly ahead, floated a big log!

    A large log was floating right in front of the boat.

    The log causes the boat to crash and sink.

  • We must bail or we’ll sink!

    We have to bail out the water or the boat will go down.

    Nancy's urgent command to save the boat.