Then no more was said in the boat until the float was reached, although
each occupant was busy with his thoughts. Clausen was helped, pale and
shaking, to his room, and West and Joel, accompanied by several of their
schoolmates, trotted away to the gymnasium, where Joel was put through
an invigorating bath and a subsequent rubbing that left him none the
worse for his adventure. The story had to be told over and over to each
new group that came in after practice, and finally the two friends
escaped to West's room, where they discussed the affair from the
view-point of participants.

"When I got back to the bluff with the other fellows you weren't to be
seen, Joel," West was saying, "and I thought it was all up with poor old
Joel March."

"That's just what I thought a bit later," responded Joel, "when that
fellow had me round the neck and was trying to show me the bottom of
the river."

"And then, when they brought you in, Whipple and Christie, and you were
all white and--and ghastly like, you know"--Outfield West whistled long
and expressively--"then I thought you _were_ a goner."

Joel nodded. "And Cloud?" he asked presently.

"Cloud has settled himself," responded West. "When he thought Clausen
was drowning he just cut and ran--I mean swam--to shore. The fellows are
madder than hornets. As Whipple said, you can't insist on a fellow
saving another fellow from drowning, but you can insist on his not
running away. They're planning to show Cloud what they think of him,
somehow. They wouldn't talk about it while I was around. I wonder why?"
Outfield stopped suddenly and frowned perplexedly. "Why, a month or six
weeks ago I would have been one of the first they would have asked to
help! I'm afraid it's associating with you, Joel. You're corrupting me!
Say, didn't I make a mess of it this afternoon? I got about ten yards
off the beach and just had to give up and pull back--and pull hard.
Blessed if I didn't begin to wonder once if I'd make it! The fact is,
Joel, I'm an awful dab at swimming. And I ought to be punched for
letting you go out there all alone."

"Nonsense, Out! You couldn't help getting tired, especially if you
aren't much of a swimmer. And now you speak of it I remember you saying
once that you couldn't--" Joel stopped short and looked at West in
wondering amazement. And West grew red and his eyes sought the floor,
and for almost a minute there was silence in the room. Then Joel arose
and stood over th