pped forthwith to Burton's windpipe. The scene grew
more and more horrible as the moments passed, and Clancy fell to
throwing aside his garments preparatory to making a trip of his own to
the marine gardens.

"Wait!" clamored Ike excitedly. "They've broke loose from each other!
They're comin' up. Don't go in!"

Clancy took another look through the glass. Burton's face was livid and
ghastly, and it was plain that he was hard put to it for breath. With
feeble, faltering strokes he was coming to the surface. Hill was
following him as relentlessly as a shark.

The rowboat, from which Burton had dived, came alongside the flat-bottom
craft. The fellow at the oars Clancy did not know. The motor wizard had
half expected to see either Gerald Wynn or Bob Katz, but the oarsman was
neither of these.

"What's happened?" he asked, a tense note of alarm in his voice.

Before Ike could answer, Burton's head bobbed to the surface, and a
gurgling cry for help floated over the water.

"Wait a minute!" called Clancy, catching the side of the smaller boat
before the man at the oars could get away from Ike's craft, "I guess
I'll go with you."

Without much difficulty, Clancy transferred himself from one boat to the
other.

"You needn't wait for us, Ike!" he called. "Have our clothes ready for
us when we call for them, that's all."

"What're you trying to do?" demanded the oarsman.

"We've got two fellows to pick up," Clancy answered, "and I'm going to
help. Are you a friend of Burton's?"

"I get half he makes for handlin' the boat for him."

"How long has he been doing this?"

"Yesterday and to-day."

"And your name is---"

"Mynie Boltwood."

"Well right, Mynie Boltwood! Steady it is, now, and we'll pick up the
two in the water."

"Never mind me, Clancy," sang out Hill, who had come to the surface, and
was swimming easily despite the weight of the wet clothing he had on.
"Burton is purty nigh tuckered. Take care o' him first."

Burton was a splendid swimmer, there was no doubt about that, but his
ordeal in the water had told on him severely. He grabbed Clancy's
outstretched hand desparingly, and was assisted to climb over the
bulwarks. Once aboard, he fell in a sprawl on the boat's bottom,
breathing heavily.

Hiram Hill got into the boat much more easily. Lifting his dripping body
to a seat, he grinned, and shook the long, tow-colored hair back from
his face.

"How was that for Hi?" he asked.

"It was a great pi