“Paul, throw on that rubber coat that’s in the locker aft,” Frank said to his friend. “I’m as sorry as can be that we gave you that ducking, but it couldn’t be helped. I had to dodge those fellows, whoever they were. Wonder why they didn’t stop to help—surely they knew that some one had gone overboard.”
“I’ll be all right in a little while,” answered Paul. “I’ll get into this slicker. Keep her going, Frank. Let’s see if we can’t miss everything between here and Coville.”
He said it with a hearty laughing sound in his voice that brought about a feeling of cheeriness to the others, who had become nervous as a result of the double incident.
Frank put the propeller into gear again with the engine, and the Rocket answered as the steady muffled sound of the exhaust told them the engine ran smoothly and was ready to do its part of this arduous night’s duties.
As the Rocket regained its speed, Frank carefully wiped the surface of the river clean with the bright beams of the electric light, and, seeing nothing as they proceeded, he allowed the speed to increase until, within a few minutes, they were again rushing headlong down the Harrapin.
“Hope that delay won’t cost too much,” breathed Frank through gritted teeth as he firmly grasped the wheel and held the Rocket down the center of the river.
Paul and Ralph were no longer lying forward on their stomachs, trying to see things first. Instead, they were both seated firmly aft of the cockpit, each holding a rope so that no more such accidents should happen.
Paul’s teeth chattered for a while, as the wind struck against him, but the slicker soon had him warmed, in prisoning the heat of his body, and though the clothes were soaked thoroughly, he was suffering no inconvenience.
Frank’s eyes were even more watchful of the river than they had been before, and his grip on the wheel was firmer, every muscle tensed, ready for action.
A log or two came swinging into sight, floating, but as they were moving downstream with the steadily flowing current with the narrower part toward the boat, he was easily able to evade them, though each of them brought a slight twinge of nervousness.