"What's the matter?" asked Peetie.
"The boat is taking me away off," answered Buddy.
"Jump out and swim to shore!" cried Peetie.
"I can't swim," called back Buddy.
"Oh, we'll show you how," went on Jackie, and then he and Peetie jumped into the water and began to show Buddy how to swim, but he was too frightened to learn, and, besides, the two puppy dogs were too far off for him to see them plainly. Then they swam out, and they tried to pull the boat back to shore, but they were not strong enough.
"Oh, I'll be drowned! I'll be drowned!" cried Buddy. "What shall I do? Tell my mamma good-by for me," he said to Jackie.
"We'll tell her you're in trouble, and maybe she will know of a way to save you," called Peetie and Jackie.
So they ran and told Mrs. Pigg, and she and Brighteyes came running down to the shore of the pond.
"Oh, my poor little boy," cried Mamma Pigg, when she saw Buddy being carried farther and farther away.
"Oh, how can we reach him?" wailed Brighteyes, wringing her paws. "We must save him, somehow!"