“It won’t do to be caught!” cried Frank. “Pull in lively, fellows! We must have Rudge out in a minute!”
Pull they did in the greatest haste. The proctor was lifted from the water, and then——
Snap—splash!
The rope seemed to part, and down went the boys who were pulling. There was a splash as the body of the helpless proctor fell back into the river!
Frank started to scramble up, but some one caught hold of him and dragged him back in an effort to rise first.
“Let go!” he grated. “The proctor is in the river, and he will drown if some one does not pull him out in a hurry!”
“Right!” came from Rattleton. “Oh, murder! what an awful scrape! What if Rudge should drown?”
“We would be murderers!” quavered Griswold.
“Those fellows are coming!” sibilated Diamond, as he got upon his feet. “Jove, fellows, they are police! We are pinched if we do not run for it!”
“Can’t run!” came firmly from Frank, as he also scrambled to his feet. “Got to get Rudge out of the river at any cost!”