ed over his
face and his black clothes clung tightly to his angular frame.

The river was not deep at this point, and he waded to the bank, where
many eager hands were outstretched to aid him. He felt that he presented
a most undignified appearance, and, although, of course, thankful for
his escape, he was angry clear through. He looked up, and for the first
time they clearly saw his face.

A new horror came into Teddy's eyes. He stepped back, startled, and his
legs grew weak under him.

"It's--it's Uncle Aaron!" he stammered.

CHAPTER III

A NARROW ESCAPE

Modesty was not one of Teddy's strong points, but just then he had a
most violent desire to fade gently out of sight. He had not the
slightest wish to be "in the limelight." Never had he been more eager to
play the part of the shrinking violet.

He tried to slip behind the other boys who came crowding around. But,
even though partly blinded by the water that streamed over his face, the
sharp eyes of his uncle had recognized him.

"So it's you, is it?" he asked ungraciously. "I might have known that if
there was trouble anywhere you'd be mixed up in it."

Fred, ever eager to shield Teddy, came forward.

"Why, Uncle Aaron!" he exclaimed. "I'm awfully sorry this happened. Just
wait a minute and I'll hustle round to get a rig to take you----"

"Happened!" broke in the shrill voice of his uncle. "Happened!" he
snorted again, his wrath rising. "This thing didn't just happen.
Something made those horses run away, and I want to know just what it
was. And I'm not going to be satisfied till I find out," the man went
on, glaring suspiciously from one to the other of the boys until he
finally settled on Teddy.

But Teddy just then was intently studying the beautiful sunset.

Good-natured Jim Dabney tried, right here, to make a diversion.

"The horses must have got frightened at something," he ventured
hopefully.

"Yes," said Jack Youmans, following his lead, "I could see that they
were awfully scared."

"You don't say so!" retorted Uncle Aaron, with withering sarcasm. "I
could guess as much as that myself." And the two boys, having met with
the usual fate of peacemakers, fell back, red and wilted.

"Gee, isn't he an old crank?" muttered Jim.

"That's what," assented Jack. "I'd hate to be in Teddy's shoes just
now."

To tell the truth, Teddy would gladly have loaned his shoes to any one
on earth at that moment.

"Come here, Teddy," called his un