ikewise.

"I cannot swim!" shrieked the lady.

"You must jump!" answered somebody. "The tug may blow up!"

The little girl heard this and with a scream she ran from her mother
straight for the bow of the tug. The next moment she lost her balance
and went overboard.

"She's over!" cried Randy, and his heart leaped into his throat.

"Save my child! Save Helen!" shrieked the lady and rushed after her
offspring. Soon she was in the water also.

The situation was certainly a thrilling one. The two men in the water
were fifty feet away and those left on the tug were in no position to
render assistance. The child had disappeared completely, while the
mother was thrashing around wildly, in water just up to her neck.

"Quick, Jack, turn the boat around!" ejaculated Randy. "We must get
them on board."

The craft was turned around and headed for the lady. Then Randy threw
off his cap--he was already in his shirt sleeves--and stood up in the
bow. He gazed anxiously into the muddy water and caught a dim view of
the little girl's white dress.

"My child! My child!" the mother continued to scream.

[Illustration]

"I'll bring her up," said Randy, and made a leap overboard, just as the
gunwale of the rowboat came within reaching distance of the lady's
hands.

The little girl had been caught by the current and was being carried
down the stream. Randy made a quick grab but missed her, and then she
disappeared from view. But in a few seconds more he saw her again, and
this time secured hold of her arm. The next moment he raised her to the
surface of the river.

She was too far gone to do anything but splutter. She clutched him with
a deathlike grip--a thing every person in danger of drowning will
do--and he had his hands full to keep both himself and his burden
afloat. Shallow water was not far off and he struck out for this and
waded ashore.

In the meantime Jack was having no easy time of it getting the lady
into the rowboat. There was serious danger of the craft overturning,
and he had to caution her to be careful.

"My child! My Helen!" she moaned, when she was at last safe.

"My friend will save her," answered Jack.

"You are sure?"

"Yes."

CHAPTER XII

A STEAMBOAT MAN

Having saved the lady from her uncomfortable if not dangerous position,
Jack lost no time in rowing for the shore. Soon he was at the river
bank and the lady leaped out of the rowboat and ran to where Randy had
placed his drippin