The Rover Boys in Business | Page 7

the
fellow in the water throw up both arms and sink from view.
"He has gone under!" gasped Sam. "Hurry up, Tom, or we'll be too
late!"
Scrambling wildly through the last of the bushes and onto some flat
rocks that, in this vicinity, ran out into the river, the Rover boys soon
gained a point which was less than four yards from where the
unfortunate youth had disappeared. Leading the way, Tom leaped from
one flat stone in the stream to another. Sam followed closely, holding
the searchlight on the spot where both hoped the fellow in the water
might reappear.
"Here he is!" cried Tom. And, as he spoke, Sam saw a dark object turn
over in the stream close to the rock on which his brother had leaped.
The next instant Tom was down on his knees and feeling through the

water.
"Hold my hand, Sam," said the older Rover. And as Sam took his left
hand, Tom clutched with his right the coat of the party in the river.
Then came a hard pull; and a moment later Tom had the dripping form
on the rock.
"Is he-- he-- dead?" questioned Sam, hoarsely.
"I don't think so, but he certainly has had a close call. We must get him
ashore and work over him as soon as possible. You light the way; I
think I can carry him alone."
The fellow who had been hauled out of the river was a slightly-built
youth, not over twenty years of age. As Tom was both big and
muscular, it was an easy matter for him to throw the stranger over his
shoulder. Sam led the way to the shore, keeping the light down on the
rocks so that his brother might be sure of his footing.
Once safe, the boys placed the stranger on the grass and started to work
over him. He was unconscious, and had evidently swallowed
considerable water. Fortunately, the lads had taken lessons in how to
resuscitate a person who had been close to drowning, so they knew
exactly what to do.
"It's a mighty lucky thing that we were here to aid him," remarked Sam,
as he and Tom proceeded with their efforts. "Another minute, and it
would have been all up with this poor fellow."
"Well, he isn't out of the woods yet, Sam, but I think he is coming
around." And even as Tom spoke the stranger gave a gasp and a groan,
and tried to sit up.
"It's all right, my friend," cried Sam, reassuringly. "We've got you, you
are safe."
"Oh, oh!" moaned the young man who had been so close to drowning.
And then as he sat up and stared at the brothers, he added: "Did-- did

you sa-- save me?"
"Well, we hauled you out of the river," replied Tom, simply.
"You did!" The young man shivered as he glanced at the
swiftly-flowing stream. "The bridge-- it was broken, but I didn't notice
it in time."
"We tried to warn you," said Sam, "but you were coming too fast."
"I know it, but I-- I----" And then the young man, having tried to get to
his feet, suddenly collapsed and became unconscious again.
"Phew!" came from Sam in surprise. "He must be worse off than we
thought."
"Perhaps he got struck when he went down," suggested Tom. "See here,
there is blood on his hand; it is running down his sleeve!"
"Maybe his arm is broken, Tom. I guess the best thing we can do is to
get him to some doctor."
"Why not take him right down to Ashton to Doctor Havens?"
"Good idea; we'll do it."
Tom again took up the unconscious young man, and, with Sam leading
the way, both hurried to their automobile. The stranger was deposited
on the seat of the tonneau, and then Tom lost no time in turning the
machine around and heading for town.
"I wonder who he can be?" remarked Sam, as they sped along.
"I'm sure I don't know," was Tom's reply. Neither of the boys dreamed
of the surprise in store for them.
CHAPTER III
SOMETHING OF A SURPRISE

It did not take the Rover boys long to reach Ashton; and once in town,
they lost no time in running their auto to where Doctor Havens resided.
They found the house well lit up, and the old doctor in his study, poring
over some medical works.
"Saved a fellow from drowning, eh?" he queried, after the lads had
explained matters. "Got him out in your auto? All right, bring him right
in if you want to-- or wait, I'll go out and take a look at him. Maybe I
know who he is and where he belongs." And thus speaking, the doctor
went outside.
Sam still had the searchlight