_A BRAVE RESCUE._
Sam was a fairly good swimmer, and as soon as he found himself in the
water he struck out for the shore, paying no attention to any one else
until he had assured his own safety.
One of the gentlemen in the other craft did the same selfish thing,
while the other, unable to help even himself, was trying to keep his
head above water by resting his chin on an oar and piece of planking.
The women were in imminent danger of being drowned, for there was no
other boat near at hand which could be sent to the rescue, and the
throng of spectators was in that unreasoning state of fear and
excitement which prevents people from being of any service at such a
time.
When Teddy and Dan came to the surface after having been thrown from
their seats, they were within a few feet of each other, and the latter
asked:
"Can you swim?"
"Yes; don't pay any attention to me, but do what you can toward saving
those women."
"Will you help me?"
"Of course; but I can't take care of more than one."
Both boats had disappeared, and nothing save a few fragments showed
where they had gone down.
Teddy thought only of aiding the struggling women, for there was no
question that the man with the oar could take care of himself, at least
until those on the bank should be sufficiently composed to do something
effective, and he swam to the nearest struggling being, clasping her
firmly under one arm as he said:
"Don't make a row; but keep perfectly quiet, an' I'll take you ashore."
Half-unconscious as she was, the woman attempted to grasp him by the
neck, and for several seconds he had all he could do to prevent her from
choking him to death; but after two or three kicks judiciously
administered, he succeeded in making her understand that her life as
well as his own depended upon her remaining passive, and from that
moment all went well.
The employees of the company which had the boats on exhibition flung
into the water several life-saving arrangements of cork and canvas, and
by dint of much persuading he induced her to trust to one of these while
he went to the assistance of Dan, who had been carried beneath the
surface more than once by the struggles of the woman whom he was trying
to save.
By this time a boat was brought up from around the point, and as these
two helpless ones were taken on board both the boys swam to the rescue
of the last of the party who had sunk beneath the surface for the third
time.
Teddy, now nearly exhausted by his efforts, was the first to grasp her;
but if it had not been for Dan the struggle would have been useless,
since his strength was so far spent that he could not have brought her
above the water unaided.
By their united efforts, however, she was taken on board the boat in a
state of unconsciousness, and they made their way to the shore cheered
by the shouts of the assembled multitude.
Weak, almost exhausted beyond the power to stand upright, they landed a
few seconds in advance of the craft, and the reception received was
enough to have nerved stronger men to a semblance of strength.
It was not until they were in the private apartments allotted to the
Davis Company that either fully understood how weak he was, and then
willing hands aided them to recuperate.
Hot flannels, warm drinks, and dry clothes were contributed by the
different exhibitors, until, as Teddy said, they looked like "circus
clowns;" but they were in fairly good bodily condition, and it appeared
as if the involuntary bath had done them no real injury.
Outside the building the people were shouting themselves hoarse in
praise of the two boys who had saved three lives, and Sam stood bowing
acknowledgments as if he had been the chief actor in the thrilling
scene.
The difference between the real and the pretended life-savers was
readily understood, however, when Dan and Teddy made their appearance,
looking decidedly the worse for their struggles, and the cheers which
went up would have been ample reward for the most praise-loving person
in the world.
They looked like anything rather than reputable employees as they
appeared in the borrowed garments; but as Teddy said, they couldn't stay
in the building until their clothes were dried, and it was absolutely
necessary he should attend to his business.
Dan's duties necessitated his remaining near the creek; but Teddy was
forced to go back to his cane-board, and the crowd which followed him
was good evidence of the money he would make.
During two hours after he returned from this thrilling adventure the
cane-board had more customers than could conveniently be attended to,
and it is safe to say that he then handled a larger amount than he had
ever before seen.
"At this rate it won't take long to square up things, and you shall have
a fair portion of the profits, Tim," he said, when there was an
opportunity for him to speak with his clerk without being overheard by
the customers.
"It's a lucky thing for us that them boats were smashed," Tim said,
devoutly, as he handed his employer half a dollar to change. "We might
have stood here with our tongues hangin' out all day an' never seen a
quarter of this money if you hadn't known how to swim."
"You are right to a certain extent; but I can't take all the credit of
this spurt, because more than half the people are trying to get a cane
for nothing."
"In the same way they thought to swindle Mr. Hazelton out of a watch," Tim
replied, with a smile; "but we won't fight about what brings trade so
long as it comes with the cash."
Up to this time Teddy had no very definite idea of how much money had
been taken in, and he was thinking it would be a good idea to ascertain,
when a gruff, familiar voice from the rear asked:
"Are the wages of sin as much as they should be?"
Turning quickly he saw Uncle Nathan, and replied:
"I don't know exactly what they should be; but, perhaps, you do."
"Whatever I may know now, I remember that it was not allowed I should
insult my elders either by plainly spoken words or insinuations," the
old man said, sternly.
"Neither would I have done such a thing if you had not given me the
provocation; but when I promised to pay three dollars for the use of
fifteen one week, you did not seem to think that amount would be the
wages of sin."
"At the time I had no idea you would conspire with others to rob me of
my hard-earned savings."
"You know very well, Uncle Nathan, that I haven't done any such thing.
On the night your store was robbed I staid in the house, and hadn't left
it when you came to tell us the news."
"Every person of your class has some such excuse ready in case of an
emergency; but that kind of talk will not do with me. If you meant to do
the square thing, why was I not told you lost the money I lent you?"
"Because I knew you would raise an awful row, thinking possibly it would
not be paid back."
"Have I yet any assurance that it will be?" the old man asked, in a
fury.
"Do you need it now?"
"I always need my own."
"And in this case, if I pay you at once, do you think it right to charge
me three dollars for the use of fifteen lent two days ago?"
"That was what you promised, and the world gauges a man by the way he
keeps his word."
"I owe the storekeeper in Waterville thirty dollars; but I told him you
must be paid first, and so you shall."
"Then give me the money now," Uncle Nathan snarled.
"That is exactly what I am willing to do," Teddy replied, calmly; "but
if you can't trust me I have reason to be suspicious of you, so give me
a receipt for the amount, and the matter can be settled."
The old man literally glared at his nephew for an instant, and then,
eager to have the cash in his possession, he wrote a receipt, handing it
to the young fakir, as he said, angrily:
"Now, let me see if you can settle the bill."
Since the mishap on the creek, where Teddy had covered himself with
glory, business had been so good that he had more than twice that
amount, and, emptying the contents of his money bag on a board, he
proceeded to select the required sum.
Uncle Nathan watched him jealously, his eyes twinkling enviously, and
when the money was placed in his hand he counted it twice over before
delivering up the written acknowledgment.
"Are you certain all this has been honestly earned, Teddy?" he asked,
gravely.
"How else could I have got it?"
"There are many ways. While I would not be willing to take my oath to
it, several of these ten-cent pieces look very much like those I lost
night before last."
"Do you mean to say I had anything to do with robbing your store?" and
now that this particular debt had been canceled Teddy felt very brave.
"I know that such an amount of money has not been earned honestly, and,
what is more, my eyes have been opened to the character of your
friends."
"If you mean Mr. Hazelton, he is as much your friend as mine, for you
were with him all day Sunday."
"That is exactly who I do mean," Uncle Nathan replied, with provoking
deliberation. "I have seen his method of doing business since I came
into this fair, and know he is nothing more than a deliberate swindler."
"But one with whom you were perfectly willing to go into partnership," a
voice in the rear of Teddy cried sharply, and the jewelry fakir stepped
directly in front of Uncle Nathan. "I told you exactly how I worked, and
you offered to put up even money with me, growing angry when I said you
would be of no use in the business. If it is swindling, you were mighty
eager to have a hand in the same business."
"I don't want to talk with you," Uncle Nathan said, as he put Teddy's
eighteen dollars carefully in his pocket.
"Then why do you come around here trying to bully this boy? He had no
idea of what I was going to do until he saw me work, while you
understood the whole plan. Make any trouble for him, and I will get up
here and tell every person who comes along that you wanted to be my
partner."
"Do it," the old man said, angrily. "After having cheated so many people
out of their money, who will believe a word you say?"
At the same time, however, Uncle Nathan took good care to leave this
particular spot, and Hazelton stepped to the rear of the board where he
could talk privately with Teddy.