Part 54 (1/2)

”I don't see anything, Jerry.”

”Don't you see the lights coming toward us?”

Harry strained his eyes.

”I see them now.”

”It's a steamer coming this way.”

”My gracious, we'll have to get out of the way or we'll be run down!”

”She is close in sh.o.r.e,” went on Jerry. ”I believe she'll pa.s.s between the other row-boat and ours.”

”Let us hold up a minute and see what she intends to do,” said Harry.

He rested on his oars. Soon the craft came closer. It was the excursion boat on her return.

”She is not coming near us,” said Jerry. ”Pull on.”

Harry had just taken to the oars again, when a wild cry rang out. It came from the row-boat which held Peters and Crosby.

”Stop! Don't run us down!”

”The steamboat is onto them!” e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Jerry.

Scarcely had he spoken when there came another cry, followed by a crash.

”They've been struck!” yelled Harry.

”Pull ahead!” cried Jerry. ”Like as not they have either been killed or are drowning!”

He sprang to Harry's side, and with an oar each they sped on to the a.s.sistance of the unfortunate ones.

In the meanwhile the steamboat stopped.

”What's the trouble?” called a voice.

No answer was vouchsafed, and a moment later the steamboat went on.

”Like as not, Si Peters and Wash Crosby are dead,” observed Harry, as he bent to his oar.

”We'll soon know the truth,” replied the young oarsman.

Both boys pulled a swift stroke, and were soon on the spot where the catastrophe had occurred.

In the meanwhile the steamboat was fast disappearing in the distance. Soon the last light faded from sight.

In the darkness of the night Jerry and Harry could see but little.

”There is an oar,” cried Harry, pointing it out.