Why, for all he knew, poor old Maurice might be in hard luck, with the teeth of a savage hound threatening his very life.
And so Thad made up his mind in a hurry, for he was not the one to hesitate when an emergency called for speedy action.
He had laid the Marlin down on the deck, and applied both hands to the task of getting the small boat across that intervening stretch of water as quickly as human means could accomplish the job.
If anything was needed to urge him on to unusual haste it might have easily been found in the continual confusion of shouts, laughter, barks, and general confusion existing ashore.
Swiftly the tender of the shanty-boat came spinning through the water, until in a short time it bumped against the side.
Thad waited only long enough to deposit his precious gun in the bottom, and then crawling over the side himself, he seized upon the paddle, and dipped deeply.
No doubt he made the shore in much less time than it took Maurice; for there was need that he should.
The noise continued, from which Thad drew new hope; at least his beloved chum could not have been seriously injured, for just then he could almost positively declare that he heard him laugh again.
So there was a comical side to the adventure, it would seem.
Thad was in such a hurry to reach the spot that he must needs make an unfortunate miscalculation when attempting to climb up the steep bank, or else a root upon which he depended proved false to his trust.