“I had to do it—he had me by the throat. If I had not done it both of us might have been drowned.”
“Humph! I never heard of hitting a drowning person,” sneered Bat.
“I have heard of such a thing,” put in Fred Century. “I think you deserve a good deal of credit for what you did,” he added, with a warm look at the young major.
“I reckon he could have saved Will without trying to break his jaw,” grumbled Bat Sedley, and then turned his attention to the youth Jack had rescued. Clearly he was not one to give his rival any credit.
By this time the squall—for it was little else—was going down. The whitecaps still ruffled the bosom of Cayuga Lake, but the wind had dwindled to a gentle breeze, just enough to fill the sails of the Alice and no more.
“Are you all right, Jack?” questioned Paul.
“Yes,” was the reply. “I’d feel a little better with a dry uniform on, but that can’t be helped.”
“I think I’d feel better myself with dry clothing,” came from Fred Century, with a weak smile. He gazed anxiously at his capsized craft. “I must say, I don’t know what to do with my boat.”
“You certainly can’t right her out here,” said Pepper.
“I know that.”