"Will ye?" replied Bill Bagley with a grin. "Really, I hope we shan't be in that fix where you'll have to."
"See there!" exclaimed Dan. "There's the boat adrift!"
The Trafton boat was leisurely floating down the stream. Bart had forgotten all about this craft. A frightened look shadowed his face.
"Don't you worry, Johnny!" said Bill Bagley kindly. "We will land you, and then go a'ter your craft."
"But I promised gran'sir to go for the doctor."
"Dr. Peters?"
"Yes."
"Wall, Dan and I are goin' near the old man's, and we'll send him over.--Won't we, Dan?"
"And I'll bring your boat up to your landing," said his young rescuer to Bart. "So you go right home and get warm and don't worry."
A thankful look, like sunshine out of a dark cloud, broke out of Bart's black eyes, and he shrank closer to the sympathetic breast on which he leaned.