[CHAPTER XI]
BILL BERRY’S THREATS
Slowly but surely the rowboat was pulled away from the dangerous brink of the falls. The two girls, who were pale with fear, regained their courage, and ventured to get up from the bottom of the craft, where they were crouched, to peer over the side.
A few minutes later the Dartaway was steaming ahead at full speed, pulling the tiny craft after it. Seeing there was no more danger Jerry slackened the engine and steered over toward shore.
Just then a white-faced woman ran from a cottage toward the river.
“Oh!” she exclaimed. “Are my little girls drowned?”
“Not exactly,” replied Jerry with a smile, as he pointed to the two children in the boat.
“But we near was, mommer!” cried the smaller of the two. “Gertrude and I went out in the boat, and lost an oar, and we drifted toward the falls. The boys come along and pulled us back or we’d got all wet.”
“I guess you’d have gotten a little more than wet,” observed Ned.
“Oh how terrible!” exclaimed the woman. “If you ever go out in a boat alone again I’ll make your father move away from this horrible river.”
Jerry with the aid of Ned and Bob was casting off the rowboat from the Dartaway, and tying it to the small dock which extended into the river.