CHAPTER XIII
A BATTLE MIGHTILY WAGED
The land end of the rope fell limp in the hands of Jim Nance and Ned
Rector.
"It's gone—-gone!" wailed Ned.
"That settles him," answered the guide in a hopeless tone.
"Oh, he's lost, he's lost!" cried Walter. "Can no one do anything?"
Chunky, with sudden determination, threw off his coat, and started on a run for the river. Dodging the Professor's outstretched hands, Chunky sprang into the water.
With a roar Dad hurled the rope toward the fat boy. The guide had no time in which to fashion a loop, but he had thrown the rope doubled. Fortunately the coil caught Chunky's right foot and the lad was hauled back feet first, choking, half drowned, his head being dragged under water despite his struggles to get free.
The instant they hauled him to the bank the Professor seized the lad and began shaking him.
"Leggo! Lemme go, I tell you. I'm going after Tad!"