Then the surface of the water was disturbed and a hand appeared, then another, to begin beating and splashing.
“Why, the fellow can’t swim,” cried Uncle Jack; and catching his brother’s hand he reached out, holding his stick ready for the man to grasp.
It was an exciting scene in the darkness, with the ring of light cast by the lantern playing upon the dark surface of the water, which seemed to be black rippled with gold; and there in the midst was the distorted face of the workman, as he yelled for help and seemed in imminent danger of drowning.
He made two or three snatches at the stick, but missed it, and his struggles took him farther from the edge into the deep water close by, where the wall that supported the great wheel was at right angles to where we stood.
It was a terribly dangerous and slippery place, but Uncle Jack did not hesitate. Walking along a slippery ledge that was lapped by the water, he managed to reach the drowning man, holding to him his stick; and then as the fellow clutched it tightly he managed to guide him towards the edge, where Uncle Dick knelt down, and at last caught him by the collar and drew him out, dripping and half insensible.
“Down, dog!” cried Uncle Dick as Piter made a dash at his enemy, who now lay perfectly motionless.
Piter growled a remonstrance and drew back slowly, but as he reached the man’s feet he made a sudden dart down and gave one of his ankles a pinch with his trap-like jaws.
The effect was instantaneous. The man jumped up and shook his fist in our faces.
“Yow’ll get it for this here,” he roared. “Yow threw me in dam and then set your dawg at me. Yow’ll hev it for this. Yow’ll see. Yow’ll—”
“Look here,” said Uncle Bob, mimicking the fellow’s broad rough speech, “hadn’t yow better go home and take off your wet things?”