"Your pa can't scare us, Jacky. Hurry up there, Somers, get that old floating log out of the way."
"Going to stay in town?" inquired Bob.
"No, can't. Pa's going to get after us. Give the spinning-wheel a turn, Kirk—full speed. Don't block up the channel, Jack."
Having uttered these words, Nat Wingate raised the megaphone to his lips and uttered a long, loud screech. Standing erect, he put all the force of his lungs into it, and just at that moment, the motor boat began to glide ahead.
Instantly it was seen that the reckless boy had made a miscalculation. A sudden lurch caused him to clutch the steering-wheel for support, and it was given a sharp turn in the wrong direction.
"My stars—Christopher!" screamed Nat. "Stop! Shut down the engine!"
Kirk, who had failed to notice the incident, obeyed, but not with his usual degree of promptness. The bow of the "Nimrod" was seen to swing around and bump squarely against the frail canoe.
Taken altogether by surprise, the light-haired young man lost his balance and tipped over sideways. A great splash followed, as he plunged into the water, while the canoe turned over and floated bottom upward.
Screams and shouts came from the hundreds who had witnessed the incident. It looked as if the act had been done on purpose.
Nat and his companions only waited long enough to see that the victim of their recklessness was able to swim.