"Not him," said Andy confidently. "Frank can swim like a fish on top or under the water. Once he stayed under two full minutes. He's probably taken a deep dive. Watch and you'll see him come up!"
Eagerly the lads on the shore watched. It seemed like many minutes but in reality it was only a few seconds before Frank reappeared.
"He hasn't got him!" cried Ward.
"Then he'll go down again," said Andy grimly, and Frank did. Meanwhile the lads on the shell were helplessly clinging there. They saw Frank's brave efforts and realized that he was more expert than any of them.
"There he comes!" was the excited cry raised in a chorus by the three on the bank as Frank shot up from the water and encircled in one arm was the helpless and limp form of the half-drowned lad. There came a faint cheer from those on the shell, toward which Frank struck out.
"It won't do him any good when he does get there," said Andy excitedly. "They can't right it and put that chap aboard. We ought to go out in a boat. Isn't there any at the boathouse, fellows?"
"A couple of old ones I guess," answered Jack. "Come on, let's look."
They were not far from the ruin that passed for a boathouse, and as they approached they saw a fairly-good boat drawn up on the shore.
"That will do!" cried Andy. "That wasn't here the day we came."
"No, that belongs to Bill Spalter, who does odd jobs around the school," hurriedly explained Ward. "I guess you can take it."