"No, it is not agreed to," returned Bob, decidedly. "All this could have been prevented, if you had only acted with a little bit of common sense."
"Then you won't accept my offer?"
A chorus of negative responses came from the Ramblers, Bob Somers adding, in a voice which betrayed his indignant feelings, as he glanced at the damaged rudder: "I believe we can get along without assistance—at least, we don't wish any from the Nimrods."
"Oh, very well," returned Nat, with a slight change of tone; "you can't say that I wasn't willing to do all I could to make amends. I'll tow you ashore, now, if you say the word."
"Of course, we'll have to," spoke up Ted Pollock.
John Hackett picked up a line and prepared to heave it.
But "Captain" Bob was too much disgusted to parley with them further. He turned away, and started the engine at half speed.
The "Rambler," however, acted, as Sam put it, "like a drunken man." At the mercy of every conflicting current, she wabbled, then slowly began to swing around until the prow was headed for the opposite shore.
"Get out the oars, boys," said Bob. "We'll have to rig up a temporary rudder."
"Perhaps we had better let them tow us ashore," ventured Tom Clifton, who was disposed to be more timid than his companions.