Seeing there was no help for it, Dick caught hold of the fingers
around his throat and forced them loose by main force. Then he
swung himself behind Tom and caught him under the arms, in the
meantime treading water to keep both of them afloat.
"Sam, can't you bring that tree closer?" he called out.
There was no reply, and, looking around, he saw that the tree and
his younger brother were a hundred yards away, and sailing down
the river as rapidly as the increasing current could, carry them
for quarter of a mile below were what were known as the Humpback
Falls -- a series of dangerous rapids through which but few boats
had ever passed without serious mishap.
"I reckon Sam is having his hands full," he thought. "I must get
Tom to the shore alone. But it is going to be a tough job, I can
see that."
"Oh, Dick!" came from Tom. "My head is spinning like a top!"
"The tree hit you, Tom. But do keep quiet, and I'll take care of
you,"
"I can't swim -- I feel like a wet rag through and through."
"Never mind about swimming. Only don't catch me by the throat
again, and we'll be all right," was Dick's reassuring reply, and
as his brother became more passive he struck out for the bank upon
which the thief had landed.
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