Part 5 (1/2)
”I'm coming!” shouted the boy.
Before that moment he had not had breath nor the time to call.
”I'm coming!” he repeated, as they swung around the wide sweeping curve.
”Are you there, Tad?”
”Yes,” was the scarcely distinguishable reply. ”I've got to let go.”
”You hold on. Bad-eye and I will be there in a minute and the Professor is hurrying down along the bank with a rope.”
”I'm freezing. I'm all numb, that's the trouble,” answered Tad weakly.
Ned knew that the plucky lad was well-nigh exhausted. The strain of holding to the slippery rock in the face of the swift current was one that would have taxed the strength of the strongest man, to say nothing of the almost freezing cold water, which chilled the blood and benumbed the senses.
”You've gone past me,” cried Tad.
”I know it. I'm heading up,” replied Ned Rector.
Ned had purposely driven his pony further down stream so that he might the easier pick them up as he went by on the return trip.
”Are you all right down there?” called the Professor, who had reached a point on the bank opposite to them.
”Yes, but get ready to cast me a rope,” directed Ned.
”I'm afraid I cannot.”
”Then have Walter do it.”
”He is not here. I directed him to remain in camp in case he was needed there.”
”All right. You can try later. I'll tell you how. I'm busy now.”
”Don't run me down,” warned Tad Butler.
”Keep talking then, so I'll know where you are. Just say yip-yip and keep it up.”
Tad did so, but his voice was weak and uncertain.
Ned swam the pony alongside of them, pulling hard on the reins to slow the animal down without exerting pressure enough to stop him.
”Is Chunky able to help himself?”
”Yes, if he will.”
”Then both of you grab Bad-eye by the mane as he goes by. Don't you miss, for if you do, we're all lost.”
”The pony won't be able to get the three of us up the stream,”
objected Tad.