It happened in a moment. Both Welch and his companion were precipitated into the water. The man disappeared a few seconds, and then came up and grasped the end of the boat.
Welch went down, came to the surface, thrust his hands up into the air, cried out gurglingly, splashed a moment, and went down again.
The commotion in the water caused the canoe to rock, but Bart Hodge laughed shortly. His face showed triumph and satisfaction at the misfortune that had befallen the man and boy. With his paddle, he moved the canoe yet farther away.
Merriwell looked somewhat anxious and waited for Welch to come to the surface again.
The man, clinging to the overturned boat, poured forth a torrent of angry abuse at the boys in the canoe, neither of whom paid any attention to him. Had they done so, they would have observed that he felt of his beard and hair in a singular manner, as if doubtful about something.
Welch came up again, splashed about, strangled, coughed, cried out and sank.
Immediately Frank began to take off some of his clothing. He flung his cap into the bottom of the canoe, his coat followed it, and then he pulled off his shoes, keeping low down, so that he would not overturn the birch-bark craft.
“What are you going to do, Frank?” asked Bart, surprised.
“Save that fellow from drowning, if I can. He can’t swim.”
“But what is the use to jump into the water and get wet? We can get near him as he comes up, and one of us can catch hold of him.”