the water almost
before he was aware. But then his common-sense returned to him and he
struggled to rise to the surface.

As he neared the top, the current carried him against a sharp rock.
Instead of clutching this, he hit the rock with his head. The blow
almost stunned him, and down he went once more, around the rock and
along the river a distance of fully a hundred feet ere he again
appeared.

By this time he realized that he was having a battle for his life, and
he clutched out wildly for the first thing that came to hand, It was a
tree root and by its aid he pulled himself to the surface of the river
and gazed around him.

He was under the bank, at a point where the current had washed away a
large portion of the soil, exposing to view half of the roots of a tree
standing above. To get out of the stream at that spot was an
impossibility, and he let himself go once more, when he had regained
his breath and felt able to take care of himself.

In a few minutes more Sam reached a point where to climb up the bank
was easy, and he lost no time in leaving the river. Once on the bank he
squeezed the water out of his garments. He had lost his cap, but spent
no time in looking for the head covering.

"Oh, if only I had Lew Flapp here!" he muttered over and over again.
But the bully had, as we already know, made good his escape, and Sam
found it impossible to get on his track. Soaked to the skin he made his
way back through the cemetery.

"Hullo, so you have fallen into the river!" sang out a man who saw him
coming. It was Jack Sooker, the fellow mentioned by the cemetery
keeper's daughter.

"No, I was pushed in," answered Sam, who knew Sooker fairly well.

"How did it happen, Sam?"

"I was after a rascal I wanted to have locked up. But he shoved me into
the river and got away."

"You don't tell me! Where is he now?"

"I don't know."

"That's too bad. Do I know him?"

"No, he is a stranger around these parts."

"A young fellow?"

"Yes, about Dick's age."

"Can't say as I've seen him. What are you going to do about it?"

"I don't know yet. I've got to get some dry clothes first:"

Sam walked up to the cottage at the corner of the cemetery. Jennie, the
keeper's daughter, saw him coming and gave a cry at his wet garments.

"Can I dry myself here?" he asked, after he had explained the
situation.

"To be sure you can, Sam," she answered, and stirred up the fire in the
kitchen stove. "If you wish I'll le