Part 22 (1/2)

I got the rope and made a flying return trip to the river. I soon made a la.s.so loop and stood poised on the bank, directly opposite Jim, ready for the throw.

”You stand still now and I bet that I will la.s.so you,” I cried.

This accomplishment the captain had taught us and sometimes it came in handy. So I wheeled the loop around my head several times and sent it whirling out over the river. It struck the rock all right, but would have fallen short if Jim had not caught it.

”Pretty good for a first throw,” yelled Jim.

”Now, Robinson Crusoe, fasten it around your chest and under your shoulders,” were my shouted instructions.

Jim did this and it left his arms free. Tom and I now took the rope and went up the river a ways to the beach. Tom stood on the bank well braced, while I went out in the river as far as I could and have a good foothold.

”Are you rested enough to try?” I yelled to Jim.

”Sure,” he replied. ”Are you ready?”

”Ready,” I shouted.

Jim stood poised on the edge of the rock, then with a spring he launched upstream as far as he could. I drew in the slack as quickly as possible, then I felt the force of the current as it clutched at Jim. It pulled like a powerful runaway horse.

It almost drew us down the river; if Jim had not been able to help himself we would never have made it. But with the rope to give him confidence he fought strongly against the current.

It certainly tested our strength to the utmost. But the sinewy arms that I had acquired and the knotted muscles at the back again stood us in good stead.

I was aroused to the limit, and with a last powerful pull, we got Jim into shallow water and carried him to the little beach, for he was about all in, having s.h.i.+pped considerable water.

We worked his arms and rolled him in the most approved fas.h.i.+on and he soon came around, but he was perfectly willing to lie for awhile on the warm sand. As we worked there we talked over Jim's escapade.

”This will be the last time I'll fool with that river,” said Jim ruefully. ”It was just by luck that it did not send me down by the underground route.”

”You're a pretty game fish to land,” I said.

”You branded me under the arms all right with that rope,” he said.

”It did raise quite a welt,” remarked Tom. ”I guess Jo thought you were a maverick when he la.s.soed you.”

”You fellows look like white men now,” said Jim, ”since you've had a bath.”

”It seemed mighty good to get to plenty of water,” I said, ”after coming through the desert.”

”We'll be tired of water before we get through with this river,”

remarked Tom.

”It's the trip for me,” said Jim cheerfully. ”Do you know what it means, boys, to tackle a stream like this that hasn't been navigated except by two parties since the world began?”

CHAPTER XVII

BEGINNING THE BOAT

After we had got thoroughly rested, Jim from being rescued and Tom and I from doing the rescuing act, we went back to our camp.