“All right,” agreed Jerry. “We might as well see this thing through while we’re at it.”
The barge, with its load of hay was no light weight to tow, but the boys were satisfied to get it out of the way of the schooner. They steered over toward the bank, and, as Ned slowed up the engine, Jerry and Bob leaped ashore and tied the line to a tree.
“We can come and get the rope to-morrow,” said Jerry. “Now to find our queer tramp.”
The hay barge was now securely tied, and, as the boys could see in the light of the search lantern, the schooner had righted. There seemed to be no movement on board, and the boys concluded that whoever had been afraid of losing his life in the accident had quieted down.
“Everybody listen,” said Jerry. “I want to see if we can hear the tramp moving on shore.”
The engine had been stopped and there was no sound to disturb the stillness of the night. Suddenly, from the bush that lined the bank of the river, there came a crackling that betokened some person was moving through them.
“Maybe this is our tramp,” said Bob.
With a quick movement Ned, who was standing in the bow of the boat, turned the search light on shore. As he did so there emerged from the underbrush a figure that was dripping with water. One glance showed the boys it was the tramp of the hay barge.
“Oh!” exclaimed the tramp. “You’re here, are you?”