Just a few moments more, and Tad was seized by the waters and hurled up into the air.
"He jumps like a bass," chuckled Chunky.
"Quit that talk!" ordered Ned sharply. "Poor Tad, we've let him go to a hopeless death!"
All watched Tad breathlessly—-whenever they could see him. More often the boy was invisible to those on land.
A strong swimmer, and an intelligent one, Tad had more than found his match in these angry, cruel waters. Though the current was in the direction that he wanted to go, the eddies seemed bent on dragging him out to the middle of the stream, where he must be most helpless of all.
Tad was fighting with all the strength that remained to him when an up-wave met him, caught him and hurled him back fully ten feet. Butler now found his feet entangled in the rope.
"He's having a fearful battle!" gasped Walter, whose face had gone deathly pale.
Professor Zepplin nodded, unable to speak. By a triumph of strength, backed by his cool head and keen judgment, Tad brought himself out of this dangerous pocket of water, only to meet others. His strength seemed to be failing now.
"Haul him back!" ordered the Professor hoarsely. "Haul him back!"
They tried, but at that moment the rope parted—-sawed in two over a sharp edge of rock!