"That's enough! Take it easy now!" called Bud. "We're coming over to get you!"
"Sure you're not hurt?" asked Dick, his voice trembling.
"Nothing more than a bump on the head," answered Nort, his own tones stronger now. "Not half as bad as I've gotten at football," and he laughed a little—the most joyful sound any of them had heard since the sweeping away of the boy rancher.
"Well, now we've found him, the next thing is to get him over here," spoke Bud. "Two of us had better swim out there. This water looks to be all right," and he stooped down and tested it with his hand. "As warm as the river," he added.
"I'm going to swim out!" declared Dick, and this time, as he began to "peel," no one stopped him.
"I'll go with you," said Bud. "We'll tie the ropes around our waists and they can hold them here on shore. It will be better than taking a risk, using the old tires," he added, "and, while there isn't any current in the pool now, no telling what may happen."
"Sure you want the ropes," said Old Billee. "But you'd better take a tire for Nort," and they did.
"Hold hard, Nort!" called Dick, as he and Bud took off their clothes in preparation for the swim. "We're coming!"
"I'll hold hard all right," came the answer back across the pool. "And there's something hard here to hold on to, all right."
They did not then realize his meaning, but they understood, later, when they made a most amazing discovery.