r-boat.

"Here!" called Fred, who had left the wheel and was standing in the bow
holding a rope in his hand. "Catch this!" He had hastily tied a noose
in the end and as he threw this toward the struggling boy, Grant
fortunately grasped it.

By a supreme effort he managed to slip one arm through the noose and as
soon as this had been done Fred instantly began to pull. Several times
in spite of all the care Fred was exercising, the heads of Grant and
his companion were drawn beneath the water. Still Grant managed to
maintain his hold upon the girl and in a brief time they were drawn
alongside the Black Growler.

"I can't pull you both up," called Fred in his excitement.

"No," gasped Grant. "I don't think you can pull either one of us."

While he was speaking he had contrived to slip the noose over the
shoulders and under the arms of his companion. As soon as this had been
done, he released his hold and said to Fred, "You can keep her head out
of the water anyway. If your noose holds she's all right."

"What are you going to do?" demanded Fred.

"I'm all right," responded Grant as turning himself upon his back he
floated with the current and obtained a brief rest.

Meanwhile John and George had drawn Miss Susie Stevens to the canoe and
seized her by her hands. John had been seated in the stern but now he
stretched himself upon the bottom of the little craft and reached over
with his hands, one on each side of the canoe, and held the girl up so
that she was able to breathe, although he did not attempt to draw her
out of the water. "Take your paddle," he called to George. "I've got
her all right, but make for the Black Growler. There's no knowing what
will happen."

In this manner the canoe slowly was paddled toward the motor-boat, but
Fred was holding the rope by which the second girl was held and
consequently was unable to respond to the appeal of his friends to come
to their aid.

Meanwhile the motor-boat was drifting with the current and there was
grave danger that she might run aground on some one of the numerous
islands.

Indeed this was just what occurred a few minutes later.

The keel of the boat now grated on the rocky bottom. Grant, who had
been following the same course now obtained a precarious foothold and
at once advanced to the aid of the helpless girl. He was still
breathing heavily from his own exertions and his strength had not fully
returned. Stumbling, slipping on the rocks, twice nearly f