Part 8 (1/2)

The day proved an ideal one, but the wind was light and the yacht scarcely moved even with the mainsail and jib set to their fullest. This being so, the boys got out their fis.h.i.+ng lines and spent an hour in trolling, and succeeded in catching several fair-sized fish.

”We'll have to cook our own dinner,” remarked d.i.c.k. ”Tom, since you did us out of our meal at the hotel I reckon you are the one to fall in for this work.”

At this Tom cut a wry face, but still, seeing the justice of his elder brother's remark, he went at the dinner-getting with a will. The yacht boasted a kerosene stove, and over this he set fish to frying and a pot of potatoes to boiling. As the river was calm and the yacht steady the little stove worked very well.

They were still out of sight of Albany when the midday meal was p.r.o.nounced ready. In addition to the articles already mentioned, they had coffee, bread and b.u.t.ter, and what was left of a cocoanut pie purchased the day previous. The boys were all hearty eaters, and the food disappeared as if by magic.

After dinner the breeze died out utterly, and Sam proposed that they cast anchor close to sh.o.r.e and take a swim. The others were willing, and soon they had disrobed and donned their bathing trunks and were sporting in the water to their hearts' content.

The water was somewhat colder than they had antic.i.p.ated, and the effect upon Sam was disastrous. The youngest Rover had eaten more heartily than either of his brothers and this made him sick at the stomach. However, as he did not wish to alarm d.i.c.k and Tom and so spoil their fun, he said nothing about his condition.

”Let us race each other,” suggested Tom, and started off up the sh.o.r.e, with d.i.c.k close beside him. Sam brought up in the rear, but soon gave up the contest.

”Help!” The single cry reached the ears of Tom and d.i.c.k when they were fully a hundred feet from the _Spray_. Both turned just in time to behold Sam throw up his arms and sink from view.

”Great Caesar!” burst out d.i.c.k. ”What can that mean?”

”Maybe he is only fooling,” replied Tom. ”Yet I wouldn't think he would be so foolish.”

”I don't think Sam is fooling,” said d.i.c.k seriously, and at once struck out to where the youngest Rover had gone down. Of course Tom went with him.

To reach the spot was not an easy matter, and they were still some distance away when they saw Sam come up again. Then there was a wild circling of arms and the boy disappeared once more.

”He is drowning!” gasped d.i.c.k hoa.r.s.ely.

”Come, we must save him, Tom!”

”Yes, yes,” was the puffing answer, for Tom was swimming as never before, and for a brief instant he remembered that awful adventure Sam had had at Humpback Falls, the summer previous. At that time the youngest Rover had nearly lost his life in the water.

It was d.i.c.k who gained the spot first, just as Sam came up and went down again--totally unconscious. Diving, the elder Rover caught his brother around the chest, under the arms.

”Sam, Sam, what is it?” he questioned, and as no reply came back his heart almost stopped beating. What if his brother was dead?

The agony of the thought was terrible beyond description.

”Can I help you?” The question came from Tom, who was now at the side of the others.

”Catch hold of one arm, if you will,” answered d.i.c.k. ”He's a dead weight.”

”Oh!” The moan came so unexpectedly that both Tom and d.i.c.k were amazed. Then of a sudden Sam opened his eyes and clutched d.i.c.k by the throat. ”Save me!”

Clearly the youngest Rover was out of his mind or he would not have taken such a hold. As it was, d.i.c.k was nearly strangled and had to unlock the fingers by sheer force. Then Sam grabbed him again, and it looked as if both would go down to a watery grave.

But now Tom came to the rescue. Swimming up from behind, he caught Sam first under one arm--and then under the other, in a back-to-back fas.h.i.+on. Then he bent forward and began to tread water, thus holding his brother's head well out of water.

”Push us ash.o.r.e, d.i.c.k!” he panted, and understanding the movement perfectly, the elder brother did as desired. Soon all three gained a point from which Tom could wade to the river bank with ease.

It was an anxious pair that bent over Sam, who rested on his back with his eyes closed. But the youngest Rover was not allowed to remain long in that position. Tom and d.i.c.k knew something of how to handle a person who is nearly drowned, and they now made use of this knowledge with all speed. Sam was rolled and hoisted up by the ankles, and thus he got rid of a large quant.i.ty of the water he had swallowed.

Yet even when he came to his senses he was too weak to walk, and Tom had to bring the _Spray_ close to sh.o.r.e, and the sufferer had to be carried on board, his brothers wading up to their waists for that purpose.