The Rover Roys on the Ocean | Page 4

glibly. "You should have kept out of the way."
"We'll see about that later on."

"Maybe you want us to help you."
"We shan't ask you for the favor," burst out Sam. "I'd rather drown
first." But Sam did not exactly mean this. He and his brothers could all
swim, and he felt certain that they were in no immediate danger of their
lives.
"You had better not ask any favors. I wouldn't pick you up for a barrel
of money."
"I think we'll have to settle this in court, Mumps," said Dick, as quietly
as he could.
"You can't prove I ran you down."
"Don't you dare to have us hauled up," put in Bill Goss. "It was an
accident, jest as John says. I reckon as how it will teach ye a lesson not
to follow us ag'in."
By this time the two yachts were once more so far apart that talking
from one to the other became difficult. Besides this, the Rover boys felt
that they must turn their whole attention to the Spray, so no more was
said.
The yacht had been struck just at the water line and the hole made in
her side was all of six inches in diameter. Through this the water was
pouring into the hold at a lively rate.
"We're going down as sure as guns," groaned Tom. "Steer her right for
the shore, Sam." This was done, and just as the Spray began to settle
they ran upon a muddy and rocky flat about thirty feet from the river
bank proper.
"There, we can't go down now," said Dick, with something of a sigh of
relief. Let us lower the mainsail and jib before the wind sends us over
on our beam ends."
The others understood the value of the advice, and soon the mainsail of

the yacht came down with a bang, and the jib followed. The Spray
seemed inclined to list to port, but stopped settling when her deck line
touched the surface of the river.
"That settles yachting for the present," said Dick in deep disgust.
"And the worst of it is, we haven't even a small boat to go ashore in,"
added Sam. "What's to do?"
"There is a rowboat putting out from the shore now," cried Tom. "Hullo,
there!" he shouted, and waved his hand.
The shout was returned, and the rowboat was headed, in their direction.
As it came closer they saw that its occupant was a middle-aged man of
pleasant appearance.
"So you had a smash-up, eh?" shouted the man, as soon as he came
near. "Anybody hurt?"
"Our boat is hurt," answered Tom dryly.
"Much of a hole?"
"Big enough to put us on the bottom."
"So I see. Want me to take you ashore?"
"Yes," put in Dick, "if you will be kind enough to do it."
"Certainly; always willing to aid anybody in distress. That other craft
run you down in short order, didn't she?" "Did you see it? " burst out
Sam eagerly.
"To be sure I did."
"Then you know it was her fault."
"I do. She had no right to follow you up as she did."

"I'm glad you saw the mix-up, Mr..."
"Martin Harris is my name. I'm an old boatman around here -- keep
boats to hire, and the like. And who is this I'm to take ashore?"
"My name is Sam Rover. These are my two brothers, Dick and Tom."
"Do you know who it was ran into you?"
"It was the Falcon, a yacht owned by a Mr. Fenwick. His son and a man
he called Bill Goss were aboard."
At this Martin Harris drew down his mouth. "A bad set, those. I know
'em well."
"And we know, Fenwick, too," put in Dick, "He's a regular sneak."
That's right -- takes after his father, who did his best to defraud me in a
boat deal. And that Bill Goss is a sneak, too, and worse," and Martin
Harris shook his head decidedly.
"Well, we can't talk about those people now," said Dick. "We're in a
mess and must get out of it the best way we can. s you are an old
boatman, what would you advise us to do?"
"Come ashore with me and then get Dan Haskett to take your boat in
charge and fix her up. He can stop that leak somehow and pump her out
and have her all right inside of twenty-four hours."
"Where can we find this Haskett?"
"Come into my boat and I'll take 'ou to him."
The rowboat was now close at hand, and one after another the Rover
boys stowed themselves away in the craft. hen Martin Harris took up
the oars and started for the river bank. He turned down the stream a bit