ere told by the pilot what had happened.

"I'll have him arrested for this!" cried the mate. "He tried to murder
my nephew."

"Your nephew hit him first," replied Mr. Weatherby.

"Yes, and now he's trying to drown him!"

"Not a bit of it. Sam had no business to be standing where he was.
Let Nat alone and he'll get him out. He rescued me from a worse place
than that."

The three men rushed to the rail, and peered down. Neither boy was in
sight.

"Sam's drowned! Oh, Sam's drowned!" cried the mate, helplessly.

"Nonsense!" replied the pilot. "He hasn't been in half a minute.
There! Nat's got him!"

Nat had reappeared on the surface, with one arm about his enemy.

"Throw me a rope!" he cried. "He's unconscious! Must have hit his
head!"

"Can you hold him?" asked the pilot.

"Yes. I've got hold of the dock."

The rope was hastily lowered, and Nat placed the loop of it about the
shoulders of the unconscious Sam. Then those on deck hauled him up.

A few seconds later, with the aid of the same rope, Nat was pulled on
deck.

"Is he--is he all right?" he asked anxiously.

"Yes," answered the pilot. "That was a plucky rescue."

"Well, I couldn't do any less, seeing I knocked him overboard. I was
afraid I couldn't get him. He's quite heavy."

"This is a dramatic farewell," commented Mr. Weatherby. "I suppose you
can't go now, until you have changed your clothes."

"I don't want to go until I know whether he is all right. I'm sorry I
struck him so hard."

"He deserved it, for he took an unfair advantage of you."

"Yes, that's so; but I didn't think it would end this way."

"Better go to the engine-room, and change your clothes," suggested Mr.
Weatherby. "I'll wait for you."

CHAPTER XV

NAT HEARS SOME NEWS

Nat took off his wet garments, and donned some others, while the damp
ones were put to dry over one of the boilers. In the meanwhile Sam had
been revived. He was not much hurt, but he had swallowed a quantity of
water, which made him quite ill.

"I'll have that Nat Morton arrested for assault and battery," declared
the mate.

"No--no--don't!" begged his nephew.

"Why not? Didn't he hit you?"

"Yes--but--but I hit him first, and--and Mr. Weatherby saw me."

"Oh," said Mr. Bumstead. "Well, we'll get even with him some way."

"That's what I will," declared Sam, with as much energy as possible
under the circumstances. "I'm glad he's going. Are you sure I'm to
have his job?"

"Yes, an