“Hang on, Roy!” Teddy gasped, and then he was borne out of hearing. Weighted down as he was by heavy clothes, Teddy had hard work keeping his head above the water long enough to take a full breath before being forced below the surface again. Luckily, there were no sharp-pointed rocks in his path.
With desperation, Teddy struck out for the shore he saw looming in front of him. But it was impossible to make much headway against the fierce current that pulled him onward and tumbled him over like a basket in a waterfall. Finally, exhausted by his struggles, he contented himself with keeping afloat, and was promptly spilled upon the bank.
So surprising was the transition from water to land that, for a moment, the boy could not realize it. One second he had been floating down a darkened, turbulent stream and the next he was tossed upon the shore, his breath almost driven from his body by the suddenness of it.
“The—ole river—is full of tricks!” he gasped, and sat up. “Good-bye, canoe! I’ll bet there’s a hole in her big enough to drive a steer through!” He cleared the water from his eyes, pulled himself farther from the edge, and peered into the night.
“Roy!” he yelled. “Where are you? Hey, Roy!”
For a long moment he waited, then fear stole darkly upon him. Breathing quickly, he shouted once more.
When there was no answer to this hail, he sprang to his feet and started to run back along the bank, calling as he ran. He saw that he had landed on the same shore they had put out from, and hoped that his brother might have done the same and perhaps have started back for their camp. But this hope was dispelled when Teddy came upon two bedraggled and forlorn wanderers—Bug Eye and Pop. They were staggering around aimlessly, now and then letting out a weak call for Teddy and Roy.
“Did you see Roy?” Teddy asked them anxiously, as he ran up, breathless.
“Teddy!” Pop gasped. “Yo’re safe! Boy, I was afraid! Where’s Roy?”
“I don’t know!” Teddy answered frantically. “I thought he might have come ashore with you! Didn’t you see him?”