aps I will," answered Dave. And after a word
or two more, he assisted the young lady up the ladder. Then the boys
helped Mrs. Ford, who was still so weak that she could hardly stand.

The first mate of the _Eaglet_ was on the deck of the steam yacht,
talking to the captain. In the meantime several sailors were at work
putting out the last sparks of the fire. Quite a quantity of fireworks
had gone off, and the burnt portions were thrown overboard. The
moving-picture manager explained that the fireworks had been brought
along to be used in one of the film dramas.

"Might as well get back to the steamer," suggested Roger, after several
minutes had passed, during which time the boys had been calling to those
on the deck of the steam yacht. "We can't do anything more here."

"All right," returned Phil, and gave orders to pull away.

"Good-bye, Mr. Porter!" called out Della Ford, waving her hand. "Thank
you ever so much for what you did. And don't forget to call and see me
when you come to Boston."

"Good-bye," returned Dave; and a moment later the rowboat shot out of
hearing and was headed toward the _Eaglet_.

CHAPTER IV

BACK TO CRUMVILLE

"I think those on board that steam yacht can congratulate themselves
because the fire was no worse," remarked Roger, when the boys had
returned to the _Eaglet_.

"Yes indeed," answered Dave. "Some fires at sea are terrible things, and
cause a great loss of life."

"Seems to me Dave was the hero of the occasion!" burst out Ben. "He did
the really-and-truly rescue act."

"Come now, don't start anything like that!" interrupted Dave, hastily.
"I only did what any of you might have done."

"I know one thing," remarked Phil, closing one eye suggestively. "Dave
made some hit with the young lady he pulled out of the water."

"That's right!" agreed Shadow. "Why, do you know I thought Miss Ford was
going to throw her arms right around his neck."

"Oh, cut it! cut it!" said Dave, growing red in the face. "Shadow, your
imagination will be the death of you."

"Oh, I don't know," replied the former story-teller of Oak Hall, coolly.
"She certainly was smitten, Dave."

"Not at all. She was grateful, that's all."

"Just the same, Dave, if we get to Boston you'll have to call on her,"
remarked Roger, with a grin.

"We can all call if you feel that way about it," answered our hero. "I
rather think some of you were smitten pretty badly." And at this sally
there was a general l