He speeded up the craft, anxious, as were the other boys, to take part in the water pageant. They bore down on a little fleet of boats, gaily decorated, and filled with merry, laughing, young persons. The procession was just forming.
Suddenly there sounded a sharp report aboard Dick's boat.
"The motor back-fired," he said. "Take the wheel, Walter, while I look after it."
But, a moment later, it was seen that it was no mere back-fire in a cylinder. A sheet of flame arose from the bottom of the craft.
"The gasolene tank has exploded!" yelled Dick. "Jump for your lives, boys! The boat's afire!"
Above the hissing, crackling flames the motor still puffed away, sending the boat straight toward a confused flotilla of other craft, the occupants of which set up screams of terror as they saw what had happened.
"Jump!" cried Dick again, as he crawled aft and tried to shut off the engine.
Three splashes in the water told that his companions had leaped overboard and were comparatively out of danger.
"Come on, Dick!" cried Bricktop, rising to the surface. "Jump, or you'll be burned to death."
"I can't!" yelled back Dick, shielding his face from the awful flames with his arm. "I've got to shut off the engine, or the boat'll run into some other one and set it afire!"