"Well, if the Mahatma can send his thoughts like that, he must be a wise old bird, after all!" Dan exclaimed. "Say, I was wrong to kid him so much and call him Old Whiskers."
"That's what I think."
"I hope he isn't sore at me."
"Not likely. He probably does not consider it worth while to be insulted by a fresh youngster like you."
"Jiminy, I hope you're right, Dick. We certainly need the Mahatma's help if we are going to get Ray out of there."
"We do that. It will take all his scheming and all our fighting speed to set her free."
Dan's face was very grave. He was so excited and nervous about his sister that he almost broke down.
"Do you think I'd better go back to his boat and apologize?" he asked humbly. "Say, I'd feel like a dog if anything happened to Ray."
"You can apologize later," counselled Dick. "What we have to do now is paddle for dear life and as soon as we reach the camp to put up the best fight there is in us."
Both Dick and Dan seized a paddle and added their efforts to those of the boatmen.