they looked.
But Bart’s head was above water, and he struck out bravely for the
opposite shore. He knew he would not have far to swim, for he had
already gone nearly half way when he was swept off his feet. The current
still bore him down, but his own efforts were dragging him to the
opposite shore at every stroke.
After Bart had lost his footing, Bruce still walked on. He held himself
so that he could resist the current to some extent. But at last he, too,
lost his footing, and was swept after Bart. He struck out strongly; and
while carried down by the current, he, too, drew nearer the opposite
shore.
Bart had just touched bottom, and sprang up, with the water scarce
higher than his waist, and looked around for Bruce. As he looked, he
caught sight of Bruce’s face. It was turned toward him in agony, close
by him, and but a little behind. Two hands were flung out, and with a
gasp and a groan Bruce sank.
For an instant Bart stood petrified with horror. A wild thought of
sharks flashed through his mind. But the next instant he had grasped
Bruce, and was dragging him half fainting, still gasping, out of the
water. In a few minutes they were on the bank, where they both sat down.
“It was a--a palpitation--of the--the heart,” gasped Bruce. “I’ve
felt--queer.--ever since that--affair--on the--the cliff.”
“Yes. You’ll have to keep quiet, Bruce, for some months to come. You see
you’ve been exerting yourself tremendously to-day, and this last thing
has been too much. You’ve got to look out, for a thing like this is not
to be trifled with.”
By this time the other boys had rushed down, and were on the opposite
side halloing, and asking what was the matter.
“O, nothing--a doldrum of Bruce’s,” cried Bart. “‘He’s all right now.”
“All right!” said Bruce, lifting up his pale face, and nodding.
“You hurry up, boys,” said Bart. “Get a horse at the bridge, and drive
home.”
Upon this the boys left, and went to the bridge. After about a quarter
of an hour, Bruce felt able to start. They ascended the bank slowly; and
after reaching the dike land, they went across in a straight line
for the Academy. They walked slowly at first, but Bruce regained his
strength more and more at every step.
At length they reached the gateway of the Academy grounds. Wet to the
skin, handkerchiefs round their heads, with their clothes ragged, and
plastered with mud from head to foot, so that hardly any of the original
color was visible, these two forlorn figures attracted universal
attention; and soon all the small boys were around them cheering, and
shouting, and asking about the schooner.
Out came Mr. Long, who had arrived the previous evening without
accident.
Out came Dr. Porter, astonishment in his face.
Out came every inhabitant of the Academy and its precincts, all making
inquiries.
And, last of all, out came Solomon, with an enormous white collar
standing up above his ears, and,--
“O, de gracious! O, de sakes alive, now! What’s dis dat dis ole nigga
does see! You gwine away whar glory takes you, an’ back agin to be de
light of an ole cuss’s life! An’ whar’s all de rest ob all dem bressed
chil’en? O, dis de-lightful day an’ hour! An’ you wet as ebber wet kin
be by failin’ in de briny wave! Bress dis old nigga’s heart! but whar
you git all dat mud from? An’ me hopin’ an’ prayin’ fur dis glorious
time! What’s become ob all de Wenebble Breddren? Heah comes de Wenebble
Patrick, an’ de Wenebble Wodden, wid de ‘Gran’ Panjydanderum in de
shinin’ train! O, dis day an’ hour!”
And with exclamations like these, poured forth with amazing volubility,
Solomon walked along backward before them, and his voice died away, in
the distance to a prolonged and unintelligible hubble-bubble.
About an hour afterward Arthur, Phil, and Tom drove up, and were
received in a very similar manner. If the “B. O. W. C.” liked to create
a sensation, they certainly had reason to be satisfied.
Mr. Simmons, with the rest of the boys, did not get to the Academy till
late in the day.
But long before that, in fact, at high noon, Solomon received the “B. O.
W. C.” in the diningroom. They had luxuriated in the bath, and Solomon
had prepared for them the banquet. He surpassed himself. His genius had
invented new dishes expressly for the occasion, and the “B. O. W. C.”
ate, and were refreshed.
THE END