"Thank you, Dick, perhaps we will," answered Mrs. Laning.
"Let us take a swim while they are gone," suggested Tom. "That water is too inviting to resist."
"Agreed!" shouted the others, and ran to their rooms, to get out their bathing suits. Soon Tom was ready, and leaping to the end of the houseboat, took a straight dive into the river. Sam followed and Fred came next, and then Dick, Songbird, and Hans came down in a bunch. The water was just cold enough to be pleasant, and they splashed around in great sport.
"This is what I call living!" yelled Tom and diving under, he caught
Hans by the big toe.
"Hi, hi! let go mine does!" shrieked the German lad. "Somedings has me py der does cotched!"
"Maybe it's a shark," suggested Fred.
"A shark! Vos der sharks py der Ohio River?"
"Tons of them," came from Sam. "Look out, Hansy, or they'll swallow you."
"Du meine Zeit!" gasped the German cadet. "Vy didn't you tole me dot pefore, hey? I guess I don't schwim no more." And he started to climb up a rope ladder leading to the deck of the houseboat.
"Don't go, Hans!" sang out Songbird. "They are fooling you."