Part 44 (1/2)
”We want to find this young lady's brother. He was swept off the bridge yonder,” returned d.i.c.k.
”So the ladies were telling me,” returned James Barlow. ”You come up to the house, and I'll go out with you. We've got a big rowboat that may come in handy. Say! ain't this some storm? Worst let-down I've ever seen in these parts.”
CHAPTER XXIX
THE RESCUE ON THE RIVER
It did not take long to run the automobiles down the road and up a side lane leading to the farmer's house. Here the ladies got out, and then the machines were placed in a barn.
”You will do all you can to find my brother?” wailed Ada Waltham, anxiously.
”Yes, we'll do our level best,” answered d.i.c.k; and Tom and Sam said practically the same.
The Rovers consulted with Mr. Barlow and his son, James, and all five walked down as close to the edge of the river as the effects of the cloudburst would allow. They saw bushes, trees, and parts of buildings coming down the swiftly-flowing stream, the waters of which were now thick with mud.
”Here is my rowboat,” announced the farmer, pointing to where the craft was tied fast to a large tree. ”You can use it if you want to, but it looks to me like rather a hopeless matter to try to do anything while the river is raging like this. You had better wait until it calms down a little.”
”The trouble of it is, it may then be too late,” answered Tom. He looked at his brothers. ”I think we can manage it,” he added.
The matter was discussed for fully a quarter of an hour, and during that time the storm seemed to let up a little. The first awful effects of the cloudburst were pa.s.sing, and the water was going down slowly but surely.
”We'll try it,” announced d.i.c.k, at last. ”If we can't manage the rowboat we'll come ash.o.r.e farther down the stream.”
The craft was a substantial one, and there were two pairs of oars, and to these James Barlow added a sweep to be used as a rudder. Then the three Rovers embarked, Tom and Sam to do the rowing and the other brother to guide the craft. It was hard, dangerous work, as they realized as soon as they struck the current of the swollen stream. They were sent along pell-mell, and it was all they could do to keep themselves from cras.h.i.+ng into one object or another on the way.
”Look out, or you'll get upset!” yelled James Barlow to them, and then his voice was drowned out in the rus.h.i.+ng and roaring of the elements around them.
A half hour pa.s.sed--which to the Rovers just then seemed almost an age.
During that time the three kept their eyes wide open for a possible sight of Chester Waltham or anybody else who might have been carried away by the flood.
”There is somebody!” suddenly called out d.i.c.k. ”A man caught in a tree!”
”Is it Waltham?” demanded Tom, quickly.
”I can't make out. He is crouched in a heap on some limbs and is waving frantically for us.”
Not without additional peril did the Rovers turn the rowboat across the river, for the tree in which the man was crouching was on the sh.o.r.e opposite to that from which they had embarked.
”h.e.l.lo! there are two fellows in the tree!” announced Tom, as they drew closer.
The second man crouched behind the trunk, so that they had not at first been able to see him.
”Help! Help!” came from the fellow who had been waving so frantically to them. And now, as they drew still closer, they saw that the individual was Chester Waltham. The young millionaire was capless and coatless, and his face and hands were much scratched.
”We're in luck, that's sure,” was Tom's comment, in a low voice.
”And I'm glad on his sister's account,” added Sam.
”When we bring the boat up beside the tree you lower yourself into it, Waltham,” directed d.i.c.k. ”But be careful how you do it or we'll upset.