CHAPTER III
SAMS ADVENTURE AT HUMPBACK FALLS
For several minutes after Dick leaped overboard to Tom'sassistance, Sam's one thought was of his two brothers. Would theyreach the tree or the shore in safety? Fervently he prayed theywould.
The tree went around and around, as a side current caught it, andpresently the whirlings became so rapid that Sam grew dizzy, andhad to hold tight to keep from falling off.
He saw Dick catch Tom from the back and start for shore, and thenlike a flash the realization of his own situation dawned upon him.He was on the tree with no means of guiding his improvised craft,and sweeping nearer and nearer to the rapids of which he had heardso much but really knew so little.
"I must get this tree to the river bank," he, said to himself, andlooked around for some limb which might be cut off and used for apole.
But no such limb was handy, and even had there been there wouldhave been no time in which to prepare it for use, for the rapidswere now in plain sight, the water boiling and foaming as itdarted over one rock and another, in a descent of thirty feet inforty yards.
"This won't do!" muttered the boy, and wondered if it would not bebest to leap overboard and try to swim to safety. But one look atthat swirling current madehim draw back.
"I reckon I had best stick to the tree and trust to luck to passthe rocks in safety," he muttered, and clutched the tree with afirmer hold than ever.
The strange craft had now stopped circling, and was shootingstraight ahead for a rock that stood several feet above water. Onit went, and Sam closed his eyes in expectancy of an awful shockwhich would pitch him headlong, he knew not to where.
But then came a swerve to the left, and the tree grated along theedge of the rock. Before Sam could recover his breath, down itwent over the first line of rapids. Here it stuck fast for amoment, then turned over and went on, throwing Sam on the underside.
The boy's feet struck bottom, and he bobbed up like a cork. Againhe clutched the tree, and on the two went a distance of ten feetfurther. But now the tree became jammed between two other rocks,and there it stuck, with Sam clutching one end and the waterrushing in, a torrent over the other.
For the moment the boy could do little but hold fast, but as hisbreath came back to him he climbed on top of the tree and took alook at the situation.
It was truly a dismaying one. He was in the very center of therapids, and the shore on either side of him was fifty to sixtyfeet away.
"How am I ever to get to the bank?" he asked himself. "I can'twade or swim, for the current is far too strong. I'm in a pickle,and no mistake. I wonder if Dick and Tom are on solid earth yet?"
He raised his voice into a shout, not once, but several times. Atfirst only the echoes answered him, but presently came a replyfrom a distance.
"Sam! Sam! Where are you?" It was Dick calling, and he wasrunning along the bank alone, Tom being too exhausted to accompanyhim.
"Here I am--in the middle of the falls!"
"Where?"
"Out here--in the middle of the falls!"
"Great Caesar, Sam! Can't you wade ashore?"
"No; the current is so strong I am afraid to."
In a minute more Dick reached a spot opposite to where the treerested. As he took in the situation his face clouded inperplexity.
"You are right--don't try wading," he, said. "If you do, you'llhave your skull cracked open on the rocks. I'll have to get arope and haul you off."
"All right; but do hurry, for this tree may start on again at anyinstant!"
To procure a rope was no easy matter, for nothing of that sort wasat hand, and the nearest farmhouse was some distance away. Yet,without thinking twice, Dick set off for the farmhouse, arrivingthere inside of five minutes.
"I need a rope, quick, Mr. Darrel," he said. "My brother is inthe middle of the Humpback Falls on a tree, and I want to savehim."
"Why, Dick Rover, you don't tell me!" cried Joel Darrel, a farmerwho had often worked for Randolph Rover. "Sure I'll get a washline this minute!" and he ran for the kitchen shed.
Luckily the line was just where the farmer supposed it would be,and away went man and boy, Dick leading, until the river bank wasagain reached.
"There he is, Mr. Darrel. How can we best help him, do youthink?"
The farmer scratched his head in perplexity.
"Hang me if I jess know, Dick," he said slowly.
"If we try to pull him straight to shore the current will carryhim over the rocks in spite of the line."
"How long do you suppose the line is?"
"It is fifty yards, and all good and strong, for I bought it ofWoddie only last week."
"Fifty yards--that is a hundred and fifty feet. Do you see thatspur of rock just above there?"
"I do."
"Is it more than a hundred and fifty feet from that rock to thetree?"
"Hardly; but it's close figuring."
"Let us try the line and see."
Both walked up to the spur of rock they had in view. It juttedout into the river for several yards, and was rather wet andslippery.
"Take care, or you'll go in too," cautioned Joel Darrel. "Shall Ithrow the rope out?"
"You might try it," answered Dick. "I'll hold fast to your leg,"and he squatted down for that purpose.
The line was uncoiled and thrown three times, but each time itfell short and drifted inshore again.
"Hurry up!" suddenly yelled Sam. "The tree is beginning to turn,and it will break loose before long."
"Let me try a throw," said Dick, and took the wash line. As hemade the cast, Tom came up on a walk, his head tied up in ahandkerchief.
"Where is Sam?"
"Out there," said Joel Darrel, and watched the casting of the linewith interest. Again it fell short, but Dick's second throw was acomplete success, and soon Sam held the outer end of the linefast.
"It reaches, and we have about fifteen feet to spare," said Dickjoyfully. "Sam, tie it around you." Scarcely had the word leftthe younger brother's lips than the tree upon which he restedwobbled and went over, and he found himself thrown into thefoaming water.
"Pull away, all hands!" cried Dick, and hauled in desperately,while Joel Darrel did the same. Tom was not equal to the task,but contented himself with holding fast to Dick's coat, that hiselder brother might not slip from the rock.
It was no light work to get Sam up the first rise of the rapids,but once this rise was passed the rest was easy by comparison.They pulled in steadily, and presently the boy reached the rockand came up, looking very much like a dripping seal as heclambered to safety.
"Thank fortune, you are safe!" cried Dick when it was all over;and Tom said "Amen," under his breath. Joel Darrel looked wellsatisfied as he coiled up the wash line.
"It was a narrow escape," he remarked presently. "You want to becareful how you try to cross the river at this point. What wereyou doing on the tree?"
"I was after a thief," answered Sam, and then he looked at Dickand Tom. "Where is he?"
"Gone," returned Dick.
"A thief!" ejaculated Joel Darrel. "Whom did he rob?"
"He robbed me."
"Do tell, Dick! When?"
"About half an hour ago. I was coming from the Corners with themail, when he pounced on me near our berry patch and knocked medown. He took my pocketbook and my watch, but Sam and Tom cameup, and we chased the fellow and got the pocketbook back."
"But he kept the watch?"
"Yes."
"Was it a good one?"
"It was a gold watch that my father paid sixty-five dollars for--andthe chain was worth ten; and, what is more, the watch was one myfather used to wear; and as he is gone now, I thought a good deal ofit on that account."
"That's natural, my boy. But where did the thief go?"
"Came across the river about quarter of a mile above here."
"Then he had a boat?"
"Yes--a craft painted brown, with a white stripe around her."
"That's Jerry Rodman's boat. He must have stolen her in the firstplace to cross to your side."
"More than likely."
"But where did he go after he crossed the river?"
"Into the bushes, I guess. You see, Tom went overboard from thetree and got struck, and I went to his assistance, so I didn'tnotice exactly. I want to get back now and follow the rascal."
"I'll go along."
"I wish you would."
"In that case I won't try to keep up with you," put in Tom. "Myhead is aching fit to split."
"Yes, you may as well take it easy," answered Dick. "But, say,why not, walk up to the river road and see if the rascal heads inthis direction?"
"So I will, Dick. Will you go too, Sam?"
It was arranged that Sam should accompany and they set offimmediately, while Dick and Joel Darrel ran along the river bankto where the rowboat had been abandoned.
Down where it was muddy it was easy to trace the tramp'sfootprints, and they led through a meadow and across a cornfield,coming out at a side road leading to the town of Oak Run.
"Well, where to next?" questioned the farmer, as he and Dick cameto a halt.
The youth shook his head. "It's so dry here the footprints arelost," he returned slowly.
"That's true, Dick. But I reckon he went to Oak Run."
"Why?"
"Because he could catch a train from there which would take himmiles away--and I guess that is what he wants to do just aboutnow."
"There is something in that."
"Besides, you know, the other end of the road ends up in thewoods. He wouldn't go there."
"I had best start for Oak Run, then."
"I'll go along."
The distance was a mile and a half, and they thought they wouldhave to walk it, but hardly had a dozen rods been covered thanthey heard the sound of wagon wheels, and a grocery turnout andcame into sight driven by a boy Joel Darrel knew well.
"This comes in just right," observed Darrel to Dick. "Hi there,Harry Oswald. Give us a lift to Oak Run, will you?"
"Certainly, Mr. Darrel," answered the grocery boy, and brought hisstore wagon to a stop. The farmer leaped to the seat, and Dickfollowed.
On the way Harry Oswald was made acquainted with the situation,and he drove along with all possible speed. They were justentering the outskirts of Oak Run when the whistle of a locomotivewas heard.
"That's the down train for Middletown," cried Joel Darrel. "Hurryup!"
The horse was whipped up, and they swept along to the depot at aspeed which made the constable of the town shake his fist at Harryand threaten to arrest him for fast driving.
"Too late!"
The words came from Dick, and he was right. Before the depot wasreached the long train had pulled out. Soon it was lost to sightin the distance.
The thief was on it; and his escape, for the time being, was nowassured.
The Rover Boys at School; Or, The Cadets of Putnam Hall Page 3