Part 9 (1/2)
CHAPTER VI
THE EFFECTS OF A BIG STORM
”Tom!” cried d.i.c.k, as he saw his brother swept from view.
There was no answer to this call, and, much alarmed, the eldest Rover leaped over a limb of the fallen tree and ran to the edge of the houseboat.
The rain was again coming down in torrents and for the moment d.i.c.k could see little or nothing. He heard a cry from the cabin of the _Dora_, and this increased his dismay.
At last he caught sight of Tom's head, about ten feet away from the houseboat. A glance showed him that his brother was unconscious and on the point of sinking again.
”I must save him!” muttered d.i.c.k to himself, and, without an instant's hesitation, he leaped overboard.
”d.i.c.k! Tom!” The cry was uttered by Sam as he came running out of the houseboat, hatless and in his s.h.i.+rt sleeves.
The fallen tree obstructed his view, and it was several seconds before he caught sight of his brothers in the water.
”d.i.c.k!” he yelled. ”What's the matter?”
”Throw me a rope,” was the answer, and it did not take Sam long to obey instructions. Then d.i.c.k caught Tom under the shoulders, and both were hauled back to the side of the _Dora_.
”Did the tree knock you overboard?” asked Sam anxiously.
”It knocked Tom over,” answered d.i.c.k.
Just as he was placed on deck again, Tom opened his eyes and stared around him.
”Who--where am I?” he demanded faintly.
”You are safe, Tom,” answered d.i.c.k kindly. ”Don't you remember, the tree knocked you overboard?”
”Oh!” The fun-loving Rover drew a long breath. ”Did you fish me out?”
”I jumped in after you, and Sam fished us both out.”
”Good enough.”
By this time some of the others were stepping forth from the wreck of the cabin. All were more or less excited, and the girls and ladies came out hatless and coatless despite the rain, which now seemed to come down with renewed fury, as if to add to their misery.
”Is anybody hurt?” demanded d.i.c.k.
”I was. .h.i.t by a broken board,” answered Mrs. Laning. ”But it scared me more than anything else.”
”One of the broken windows came in on me and covered me with gla.s.s,”
came from Songbird. ”But wasn't that a crack of thunder! I thought it was the crack of doom!”
”And were you really hurled overboard?” asked Nellie, rus.h.i.+ng up to Tom and almost embracing him. ”You poor boy! How glad I am that you were not drowned!”
”Well, come to think of it, I'm glad myself,” he returned with a little smile.