There was no doubt but that Nick believed every word he spoke; for he was making a tremendous display of energy that would long remain a topic for wonder among his comrades.
Herb started to scurry around to find something that would be available in the rescue line.
“Jack, the poor fellow may be partly stunned, and unable to keep up much longer. Help me find a rope, won’t you?” he cried, as he passed the other.
“Hold on, Herb, now watch how easy it is to save a drowning man,” and as Jack said this he turned to where Nick was making a young Niagara Whirlpool Rapids of himself, and called sternly:
“Buster, stand up!”
Lo; and behold, when the imperiled fat boy proceeded to obey this command the water barely reached to his chest. Looking rather crest-fallen and sheepish he started to wade out of the lake; while the boys burst into a roar that must have even been heard by those on board the steamer.
Nick was in a rather pugnacious humor, for him, as he arrived dripping on the bank. Perhaps the merriment of his mates had something to do with it; but the chances are he dreaded lest a pair of laughing blue eyes on the departing steamer may have witnessed his ridiculous upset.
“Who pushed me in?” he demanded, as he gave vent to another upheaval of water. “Tell me that, will you? It was a mean trick, and he ought to be ducked just as bad as I was. Seems like a pity a fellow can’t just sit up on the limb of a tree to wave good-bye to a pretty girl without some envious rival putting up a game on him. Who did it? I dare him to tell!”
“Rats! you’re away off your base, Buster!” cried George.