“I’ve got to fix something, and there’s no getting around it,” replied the patrol leader. “We can’t risk the danger of an explosion. Five or ten minutes ought to be enough time.”
“But that bull looks like he meant to come aboard here!” ejaculated Monkey, as the swimming beast drew near, with his head breaking through the surface of the water, part of his broad back showing, and his long tail streaming in the rear after the manner of a rudder.
“Get the hook!” shouted Billy, suiting the action to the word by snatching up the push pole, with which he stood on guard. “Here, you, keep off! We’re not in the beef-packing line just now. Head for the shore, and put in your best licks. Why didn’t you keep company with the rest of your herd, instead of loafing out here? No, you don’t, old boy! We couldn’t think of letting you get your hoofs over our rail; you’d sink us in a hurry. Shout at him, everybody, and shoo him off before he upsets the launch!”
CHAPTER XI.
A DARING RESCUE.
“There he goes, and a good riddance!” announced Tip Lange, as after having been prodded and shouted at vigorously, the swimming animal doubtless came to the conclusion that he was not wanted, and began to make a straight line for the shore.
“He manages to get along all right for one of his heft, I take it,” asserted Billy reflectively. “Which goes to show that because a fellow is stout it’s no reason he should be reckoned clumsy, nor yet slow.”
This doubtless was a matter of more or less satisfaction to Billy, because he had often been “joshed” by his chums on account of his increasing waistline.
They crossed over and back without discovering another case of “help wanted.”
“Looks as if we had cleaned things up pretty tidily around here,” observed Tip Lange, with a touch of pride in his manner, “unless we choose to start in moving families’ belongings from their flooded houses. And as that would be too big an undertaking for us to go into, I guess we don’t care to make a beginning.”
“Which way now, Hugh?” asked Billy. “Can we head back to town? I’m wondering how the other fellows are coming along with their share of the work, and whether we could help them out in any way.”