“All right,” sputtered Fred. “How is it with you?”
“I’m all right here. Have you seen the mate?”
“Yes, he’s ahead of us.”
Even as he spoke the mate could be seen rising to his feet in the shallower waters and a moment later he gained the refuge of the sandy beach.
It was not long before the boys also gained the same place of safety, although before their arrival the oarsman had disappeared from sight.
As soon as the boys stood on the shore they shook themselves much as dogs might do when they come out of the water and then in a moment the thought of the peril of their friends came back to their minds.
“What do you suppose has happened to Grant and George?” said Fred in a low voice.
“I think they must be all right,” replied John, although his expression of confidence was belied by the tones of his voice. “What shall we do?”
“Better go up on the bluff. Perhaps there we’ll see the Gadabout or the skiff. They must have been driven in the same direction that we were.”
“I don’t think so. You see the Gadabout was in the lee of that point. The last I saw of the skiff it was on the other side of the point too. I think that Grant and George probably have gone back to the Gadabout and are all right. Very likely they are talking about us at this very minute and are scared at what may have happened.”