So exciting had been the chase that neither Fred Cunningham in the first boat nor Frank and his friends in the second had seen the small lights of the tug as it steadily pulled its great burden upstream.
Crash! There was nothing else to be expected! Into the side of the big barge went the Speedaway, full power ahead!
There was a noise of splintering wood, cries and yells of warning and of horror from the men on the barge, yells from the four boys on the Rocket.
The bow of the Speedaway telescoped as if a giant were squeezing down on it, and the stern dipped deeply into the stream.
There was a flash of light for a second, then the gasoline tank exploded, spreading gasoline to all parts of the water.
The Rocket, being far enough to the rear, could be properly maneuvered to avoid a repetition of such an accident.
Frank Allen threw the boat over slightly, cut off the engine and tried to reverse. Even in his excitement, though, he realized that his momentum was too great to permit anything of the kind.
Throwing the engine into action again, he went down past the barge and made a wide circle, coming back upstream in a minute or two after the plunge of the Speedaway against the barge.
The three boys watched closely as Lanky Wallace turned the searchlight from point to point, seeking to find the wreck.
Débris was scattered over all parts of the rapidly flowing Harrapin.