"Not yet. It isn't hardly half a minute, and Mr. Gordon can hold out longer than that," Paul replied, firmly; though himself anxiously counting the seconds, because he knew he could never trust to a haphazard guess.
"There! wasn't that a jerk?" asked Jud Elderkin; but the wish was father to the thought; and again Paul refused to be swerved from his plan of action.
Sighs were heard, and more than one groan. It required considerable firmness on the part of the patrol leader to refrain, when every nerve in his body seemed crying out in protest. But the time he had set as a limit had not yet expired.
Just as he was about to give in, he felt a sudden quick pull, followed by another.
"Now!" he called, in his excitement, and it was like the letting off steam from an overcharged boiler.
How those fellows did pull upon that line! Paul had to caution them to be careful, such was their eagerness to get the scoutmaster safely above water.
And when presently his figure arose, and they saw that he was carrying poor Andy in his arms, such a shout as went up! Two fellows who had been in camp all this while, resting in ignorance
as to the thrilling event that was transpiring, came galloping along the shore to see what was up.
Mr. Gordon knew just how to get to work in order to revive Andy, providing he had not been under the water too long. His system was the same as that used by Paul; indeed, it had been the scoutmaster who had taught Paul much of what he knew in the science of life saving.
After half an hour of hard work, during which the boys were greatly depressed, success greeted their efforts. Andy was revived; but he had had even a closer call than Tom Betts. It was a very useful lesson to every boy in camp, and one that they could profit by in future years.