Frank and Andy Afloat | Page 9

asked the elder Race lad.
"I--I guess--so," was the faint reply.
"We'll be there in a minute now. You'll soon be all right!"
The other did not answer. Valiantly Andy hauled in, until his brother's
head was right under the rail.
"I'll take him now," called Andy, as he let go of the tiller, and reached
for the lad Frank had saved. With a strong heave Andy got him over the
side. He slumped down into the cockpit, unconscious. A moment later
Frank clambered on board and quickly untied the rope from his waist.
"Quick, Andy!" he cried. "Mind your helm! We're drifting on the rocks
again!"
"Look out for this lad. I'll steer clear!" yelled his brother in reply, as he
sprang back the tiller, after hoisting the sail.

Frank lifted the unconscious form in his arms, and moved the wounded
lad over to a pile of tarpaulins. With all his strength Andy forced over
the tiller, for the wind was strong on the sail, and the waves were
running high, their salty crests filling the atmosphere with spume, while
a fine spray drenched those aboard the Gull.
Suddenly there was a scraping sound, and the little craft shivered from
stem to stern.
"The rocks! The rocks! We're on the rocks!" cried Frank, as with
blanched face he looked up from where he was kneeling over the silent
form of the lad he had rescued from the sea and the gale.
CHAPTER IV
"WHO ARE YOU?"
For a moment terror held the Racer boys motionless. The danger had
come so suddenly that it deprived them of the power to think. Then
came the reaction, and they were themselves once more.
"Quick! Throw your helm over! We can just make it!" yelled Frank.
"I'll attend to the sheet--you manage the tiller! Lively now!"
Andy needed no second command. He fairly threw himself at the helm,
and with all his strength forced it hard over. The shortened sail rounded
out with the pressure of the wind on it, and the Gull heeled over at
dangerous angle. Under her keel came that ominous scraping sound that
told of her passage over part of the Shark's Teeth.
"It's a submerged rock!" shouted Andy. "We may scrape over it!"
"Let's hope so!" murmured Frank, as he looked hastily down at the
unconscious form of the strange lad. Then he gave all his attention to
the rope that controlled the end of the swinging boom.
With the same suddenness that it had come upon them, the danger was
past. The Gull slid into deep water, and the hearts of the boys beat in

glad relief. Rapidly the craft paid off until she was well away from the
ugly black points that could be seen, now and then, rearing up amid a
smother of foam.
"Round about and beat for home!" yelled Frank. "Whoever this fellow
is, he needs a doctor right away. I hope the wind holds out."
"Did you learn who he was?" asked Andy, as he gave his attention to
putting the boat on the proper course.
"No. How could I? He was as weak as a cat when I got to him, but he
had sense enough not to grab me. He knows how to swim all right, but
something is the matter with his left arm."
"Think it's broken?"
"I don't know. It's a wonder he wasn't killed when that boat blew up. He
must have been hurt in some way, or he wouldn't be unconscious."
"Maybe it's because he's nearly drowned. He may be half full of water."
"That's so," agreed Frank. "I'll see what I can do for him while you
steer. Make all you can on each tack."
They were fast leaving behind them the wrecked motor boat which
bobbed about on the waves. It was no longer on fire, and the brothers
would liked to have towed it to the pier, but this was impossible in the
storm.
Then, as his brother skillfully managed the sailboat, Frank once more
bent over the unconscious form. He knew what to do in giving first aid
to partly drowned persons, and lost no time in going through the
motions designed to rid the lungs of water.
Frank did succeed in getting some fluid from the system of the stranger,
but the lad still remained unconscious, with such a pale face, with
tightly closed eyes, and showing such apparent weakness, that Andy
remarked:

"I guess he's done for, poor fellow!"
"I'm not so sure of that," responded Frank "He's still breathing, and
there's a spark of life in him yet. We must get him to our house, and
have a doctor right away. Oh! now's the time I wish we had a motor
boat!"
"We're doing pretty well," declared Andy, And indeed the Gull