Monsieur Raoul was little worse for his immersion, but the condition of the luckless mechanic gave rise to grave misgivings. Not only had he swallowed a liberal quantity of water: his knee had been hurt by coming in contact with the girder supporting the aerial propeller, while, to make matters worse, his master had been compelled to stun him in order to free himself from his dangerous clutch.
The owner of the hydro-glisseur was greatly interested in the Sea Scouts and their craft. He plied the lads with innumerable questions, and complimented them upon their sound knowledge of seamanship.
Very little escaped the notice of the mercurial Frenchman, and when he caught sight of the scars upon the Olivette's bows he asked how the damage had been caused.
"And this happened last night, then? It is just possible that I know who is the owner of the barge that caused the mischief."
"He is a careless blighter, sir, whoever he is, to let a barge break adrift," declared Hepburn.
"Yes," assented Monsieur de la Vole solemnly. "He is."
CHAPTER XVIII
Shore Quarters
In spite of the delay occasioned by the rescue of the crew of the hydro-glisseur, the Olivette's run up to Rouen was accomplished by four o'clock in the afternoon. The historic old town, viewed from the river, interested the lads beyond measure, while the sight of the transporter-bridge, a structure one hundred and seventy feet above the water, and supporting a travelling car that served as a ferry, appealed to their mechanical instincts.