CHAPTER I.

THE RESCUE.

"That cloud over there's coming this way pretty fast, Bob."

"Does look rather squally for a fact, but I've just got to have it out with that pickerel. The beggar's stole three frogs already and I simply can't let him get away with a thing like that."

"Make it snappy, then. It's going to rain inside of ten minutes and, from the looks, it'll be some rain."

With a long cast Bob Lakewood threw his fourth frog far over toward a patch of lily pads and, for a moment, held his rod, a look of keen expectancy on his face.

"He's taken it again," he announced a moment later. "Now hurry up and gobble it down then we'll see who's who."

"Bet you miss him again," his brother grinned.

Bob made no reply but gave a sudden sharp jerk to the pole. This time there was a decided resistance at the other end of the line and he hurriedly began to reel in. But before he had recovered more than a few yards the big fish, evidently making up its mind that it had come far enough, made a sudden rush for the lily pads and the reel hummed as the line cut through the water.

"He's a big one, all right," Jack shouted.

Bob was pressing on the drag as hard as he dared, hoping to stop the fish before it reached the pads, knowing that once among them it was as good as lost. He succeeded just as he was about to give up hope and began reeling in once more.

"Stand by with the net," he panted.

Jack obeyed but the fish had not yet given up the fight and, although the greater part of the line had been regained, the rush which followed took it nearly all out again. Four times this was repeated before the fish, tired out with the struggle, lay gasping on the bottom of the boat.

"He's a beauty," Jack declared. "Six pounds if he's an ounce and that's larger than any we've caught in this lake."

A low but distinct rumble turned their attention from the pickerel and Jack sprang for the bow and began hurriedly to pull in the anchor.

"We've got to get a hustle on if we're going to beat it in," he declared as he grasped the wheel while Bob turned a small switch. Instantly the boat began to move, although there was no sound of an engine. A small but powerful electric motor, run by a secret type of storage cell, took the place of the usual gasoline engine. Rapidly the craft gained speed until, in less than three minutes, she was cutting through the water at a rate of nearly fifteen miles an hour.

"Better put up the top," Jack shouted a few minutes later as the first drops of rain warned him that they had started too late.

It took Bob but a moment to pull the canvas top over the boat but it was raining hard as he resumed his seat and moved the switch over another notch. A sharp flash of lightning followed by a deafening peal of thunder seemed a prelude to the sudden rush of wind which swept over the lake kicking the water into white caps all about them.

"She's a hummer, all right," Jack shouted, but so loud was the howling of the wind that Bob scarcely heard him. "You giving her all she's got?" he yelled a moment later.

"She's on the last notch," Bob shouted back, but the crackling of the thunder added to the roaring of the wind, made it doubtful if Jack heard him.

By the time they were half-way to the wharf the lightning was almost incessant and the rain was coming down in sheets, shutting out the shore and Jack was steering wholly by instinct.

"Better slow her down," Jack shouted a little later. "I can't see more than a few feet ahead but, unless we're off the course we must be pretty near in."

"Just what I was thinking," Bob shouted as he pushed back the lever several notches.

The wind being dead against them the boat rapidly lost headway and Bob soon had to advance the lever a couple of notches in order to maintain headway. The rain was falling so rapidly now that the surface of the lake was almost smooth, the waves being beaten down by the force of the water before they could rise hardly above the surface.

"It must be a cloudburst," Jack yelled back.

"And then some," Bob added, shouting at the top of his voice.

A few more minutes passed and suddenly Jack shouted:

"Reverse her, quick."

Bob obeyed the order and the propeller churned the water in the effort to overcome the momentum of the boat.

"Just right."

The words came just as the boat struck something with the slightest of shocks and, in another minute she was securely fastened under the lea of the wharf.

"Talk about luck," Jack grinned as he shook the water from his arms which had been soaked as he reached out beneath the canvas top in order to make the boat fast.

"Don't see how you did it," Bob assured him.

"Just pure luck," Jack repeated. "My, but that water's wet."

Bob was about to say something when a shrill cry arrested his attention and, glancing out through the tiny window in the side of the top, he saw a woman struggling to make her way toward them.

"Now I wonder----" he began, but before he could get any further the woman had reached the side of the boat and was making frantic gestures for him to come out.

"It's Mrs. Leeds," he shouted to Jack as, without a moment's hesitation he pushed aside a flap of the covering and crawled out onto the wharf.

He was drenched to the skin in an instant but, from the woman's appearance he had judged that something serious was the matter. Nor was he mistaken.

"Clara's out there in a canoe," she cried, wringing her hands.

"Which way?" Bob shouted back.

"That way," she replied, pointing down the lake. "I saw her coming in just before the storm struck and then the rain blotted her out and--and,----" But she could say no more.

"We'll get her," Bob shouted, jumping back into the boat.

"Get the top down, quick, old man," he cried. "We'll need all the eyes we've got. There's a girl out there somewhere and it's up to us to find her. Make it snappy now."

The top was down and the boat untied by the time he had finished speaking and in another minute was racing down the lake. The motor as well as the cell was inclosed in a watertight casing so there was no fear of the rain, which continued with unabated fury, interfering with the running of the boat.

They were now running nearly with the wind and so great was the speed that Bob soon shut off the motor entirely, and even then the boat sped through the water at a rapid rate.

"She must be blown clear across the lake by this time unless she capsized," Jack shouted after they had been gone from the wharf about five minutes.

"God help her if she did," Bob cried straining his eyes to pierce the wall of water which seemed to shut them in on all sides.

"Better give her a little juice," Jack advised. "We'll never catch a canoe at this rate. It'll blow faster than we will."

"Right you are," and Bob threw over the lever a couple of notches.

The boat leaped forward like a thing alive and for an instant the wind seemed to die down to a gentle breeze, but he knew that it was blowing as hard as ever. Then, almost as quickly as it had come, the rain lessened. It was, as Jack afterward declared, almost as though someone had turned off a spigot.

"There's the canoe," Jack shouted a moment later pointing to the right and, at the same time, swinging the boat about in a wide sweep.

Following his gesture Bob saw the canoe, bottom up, bobbing up and down on the waves, which, now that the rain had nearly ceased, were running high, and his heart sank within him as the certainty of the girl's fate struck him. But a moment later he was electrified as Jack cried out that she was clinging to the stern. And now, as they came nearer he could see that he was right. A slim arm reached up out of the water and a hand was fastened to a ring in the end of the canoe. But, even as he gazed, the fingers lost their hold and were gone.

In an instant Bob had kicked off his shoes and thrown aside his coat. Then, as the boat swept up close to the canoe, he disappeared over the side. Down he swam, striving to pierce the water with his eyes. It must be pretty deep here, he thought, kicking out more lustily as the pressure in his lungs warned him that he must soon have air. He failed to reach the bottom before he knew that he must give up and had just turned for the rise when his eye caught sight of an object a few feet to his right. It was she and with a prayer that he might be able to hold out, he plunged desperately for her. Grabbing her by the hair he beat the water frantically with his free hand and slowly rose toward the surface, although it seemed to him that they were stationary.

Would they ever reach the air? His lungs seemed on the point of bursting, but the thought of dropping his burden never entered his mind. Desperately he worked his legs in an effort to hurry their progress. Then, just when it seemed that he could stand it no longer, his head broke through the water and he breathed the life-giving air.

Raising himself as high as possible, so as to hold the girl's head above water, he shook the water from his eyes and looked about. Jack was only a few yards away and had already caught sight of him.

"Hold hard a minute," he shouted encouragingly.

Bob was certain that the girl was unconscious and he feared that she might be dead, although he hardly thought it likely, as she had been beneath the water not more than two minutes at the most. He trod water with all his strength and, although it seemed to him a long time, it was not more than a minute from the time his head appeared above the water, when Jack reached over the side of the boat and lifted the girl aboard. He quickly followed saying as he climbed over the side:

"Full speed for home, old man, and I'll see what I can do for her."

He had long been an expert at "first aid" and, throwing a long cushion onto the bottom of the boat, he placed her face down upon it. Then, placing his hands beneath her, he gently raised her up and held her while the water ran from her mouth. Then, turning her onto her back he began raising and lowering her arms in an effort to start respiration. Soon he was rewarded by a faint tinge of color which stole back to her face and a moment later she gave a slight gasp and opened her eyes.

In spite of the wind, which still blew a gale, the boat was plowing through the water at a good rate throwing the white spray high on either side of the bow.

"How did I----?" she whispered, but Bob placed his fingers gently over her lips.

"Don't try to talk now, please," he cautioned her. "You are safe and will be all right in a short time but, just now, you need all your strength."

She obediently closed her eyes and, by the time they reached the wharf some ten minutes later, she was breathing easily and regularly. Half a dozen people, including the girl's mother, were on the wharf, and they broke into shouts of joy as they saw that the girl was safe. Tears were streaming from the mother's eyes as she took the girl from Bob's arms and clasped her to her breast.

"My darling," she sobbed. "I thought that you were drowned, but, thank God, you are safe."

"You'll have to thank those two boys, too," the girl whispered.

But when Mrs. Leeds turned from her daughter to look for them they were no where in sight. Hating to have a fuss made over them, Bob and Jack, as soon as they were convinced that the girl was all right, had hastened to their room in the hotel which stood just at the end of the wharf.

As their folks were all away for a few days, their own cottage, situated near the head of the lake, was closed for the time being and they were boarding at the hotel.

"Old Wesserunsette can pick up quite a fuss when she gets her dander up," Jack laughed as he began stripping off his wet clothes.

"I'll say she can," Bob agreed, glancing out of the window. "Look at those white caps out there. It's no wonder she tipped over."

"And now, I suppose the boy hero will have to marry the pretty girl he saved from a watery grave and live happily ever after," Jack gibed and dodged just in time to escape a wet shoe. "Oh, well, if you feel that way about it, I'll keep still," he laughed.

"You better had," Bob growled, struggling to pull off a wet sock.

"What do you suppose became of that canoe?" Jack asked a few minutes later. "I forgot all about it."

"Same here. But I guess it'll be all right. It can't sink and it's probably been blown ashore by this time."

"If it doesn't pound to pieces on the rocks."

"Well, it can't be helped now. We'll have a look for it after supper if the wind goes down."

"There goes the supper bell," Jack said a few minutes later. "I hate to go down for fear they'll make a big fuss over us and I do hate that sort of thing."

"Same here, but we've got to face it sometime and I suppose we might as well go down now and have it over with."

There were some twenty-five or more people in the dining-room as they entered and their worst fears were realized. Everyone stood up as soon as they appeared and a big man over in one corner shouted:

"Three cheers for the Lakewood boys!"

The cheers were given with a will and all they could do was to stand still and blush.

"Speech," someone shouted.

The room suddenly became quiet and Bob, after a hasty glance around, as though looking for a chance to escape, said:

"Thank you all but----"

"No buts about it," someone interrupted.

"All right," Bob said, "no buts goes, so we'll again say thanks and let it go at that." And he hastened across the room to their table closely followed by Jack.

A loud clapping of hands followed and then the folks, aware of the boy's confusion, turned to their supper, much to the satisfaction of Bob and Jack.

"Thank goodness, that's over," Jack whispered, as he picked up his napkin.

"But here comes Mrs. Leeds and Clara," Bob groaned.

The Leeds, mother and daughter, were from New York City and had been at the lake only three or four days. The boys had noticed them several times and had even remarked on the extreme beauty of the girl, who was about seventeen, but they had not met them formally. The boys rose as they approached their table.

"I--I do not know how to thank you," Mrs. Leeds hesitated as she held out her hand to Bob.

"Please do not try," Bob smiled as he grasped her hand. "We are very glad that we were able to do what we did."

"Modesty is a sure sign of true bravery," Mrs. Leeds smiled as she shook hands with Jack.

She then introduced Clara, who thanked them very prettily but, as Jack declared afterward, "didn't gush a mite," for which they were truly grateful.

"We expect Mr. Leeds to-morrow night," Mrs. Leeds told them, "and I know you will like him."

"Everyone loves daddy," Clara added.

"We're going to take a look for the canoe after supper," Bob said and added with a blush, "perhaps you would like to go with us. The wind has about died down and it will be pleasant on the lake."

"Oh, say we'll go," Clara looked imploringly at her mother.

"Why, I'm sure we'll be delighted if we won't be in the way," she assured them.

Both Mrs. Leeds and Clara showed great interest in the motive power of the Chum, as the boys called the boat, and Bob explained the motor and the cell which operated it. To the great satisfaction of the boys neither of their guests referred again to the rescue while they were on the water, evidently sensing that it was their wish.

The run down the lake was quickly made and, after a short search along the shore, they found the canoe washed up on the sand and entirely uninjured. They made the return trip more slowly, as it was very pleasant on the lake just as the sun was sinking behind the hills.

"I think I know how you feel," Mrs. Leeds said as they parted an hour later, "but I must just say thank you once more."

Although her words were so simple both boys knew, from the tears which gathered in her eyes, that they came from her heart, and they felt that they had made some new friends worth having.