Not waiting to count the possible cost, Larry slid rather than ran to the rail. Years before he had learned a trick which now stood him in good stead. He wound his legs around the under rail, catching the upper one with his left hand. Then he clutched Captain Ponsberry by the tangled-up arm.
"On deck there!" he yelled. "Throw a rope this way, and hurry up about it!"
"What's the trouble?" came from Tom Grandon, who had been in another part of the ship and had not heard the captain's cry.
"The captain is almost overboard. Throw us a rope."
Tom Grandon was quick to act. The rope came whizzing toward Larry, and in a twinkling he had it around his body and also around the captain.
"Haul in!" he called, and Grandon and two sailors did so. Over the rail came Captain Ponsberry, still fighting to release the tangled-up arm. In a moment more all danger was past.
"Well, how in the world did this happen?" questioned Grandon.
"Tell ye—soon as I can git free o' this consarned coat!" spluttered Captain Ponsberry, and he gave the garment a jerk that ripped one of the sleeves completely in half. "Did ye ever see sech foolishness?" he added. And then he told how the lurch of the ship had carried him over the rail just when he could use but one hand. "After this I reckon I'll put on my coat afore I go on deck," he concluded.
"It was a lucky thing that Larry heard you cry out," said the first mate. "I was at the wheel, helping Groot."
"That's right, Tom." The captain turned to the youth. "Larry, you're a brave one, and always was. I ain't going to forget this!"