"Uncle! we mustn't do that!" cried his niece. "We must go out in the punt and make sure all is right with that boat."
"Who says so?" demanded the miller.
"Of course we must. I'll go with you. Come, do! There is somebody in danger."
Ruth Fielding, as she spoke, leaped into the punt. Tom would have been glad to go with her, but she had motioned him back before he could speak. She was ashamed to have the miller so display the mean side of his nature before her friends.
Grumblingly he climbed into the heavy boat after her. Tom cast off and Ruth pushed the boat's nose upstream, then settled herself to one of the oars while Uncle Jabez took the other.
"Huh! they ain't anything in it for us," grumbled Mr. Potter as the punt slanted toward mid-stream.
CHAPTER II
MAGGIE
Ruth Fielding knew very well the treacherous current of the Lumano. She saw that the drifting boat with its single occupant was very near to the point where the fierce pull of the mid-stream current would seize it.