 of water dragged him down. He fought against the
wild impulse to grab the buoy, but he struggled up to find Tom’s hand
on his arm.

“Git aboard here——”

“Quit!” snarled Clem, flinging back and breaking the other’s hold. He
gazed at Tom with desperate, convulsed features. He knew he could not
last long. His strength was going fast. “We can’t, both hang on there,
you idiot! It—it won’t hold—more’n one—and——”

“Then I’ll drop!” And Tom tried to heave himself up and release the
lashing about his arms. He failed, through very stiffness and weakness.

“No, you won’t—you go back home and—tell ma that—that——” Clem went
under, fought frantically, felt the terrible weakness overpower him.
Then he caught a breath of blessed air again. “So long—cut out—the
booze——”

With a groan, Clem found his strength gone. He seemed to collapse
utterly. He felt the water close over him, choking, strangling,
smothering—and then he knew nothing more.

A moment afterward the _Sadie_ poked her nose out of the fog, almost
above Tom.




VI.


“Golly! I thought I was gone——”

Clem opened his eyes and stared.

He found himself in the cabin of the _Sadie_. Above him was standing Ed
Davis; and Clem, feeling himself almost naked, knew that his chum had
been working over him.

“You were blamed near gone!” exclaimed Ed anxiously. “I got the water
out of you, though. How do you feel?”

“Tired. Where’s Tom?”

“Up above. He’s all right—kind o’ went to pieces when I got you aboard.”

Ed heaped blankets about Clem. Then he continued swiftly:

“I got some coffee on the fire now. Say! Do you know what that cuss
done?”

“Who—Tom?”

“Yep! I found him hangin’ on to your collar—both o’ you danged near
drowned, by thunder! He made me haul you up first,
of water dragged him down. He fought against the 
 wild nerve impulse to catch the buoy, but he struggled up to find Tom ’s hand 
 on his branch. 

 “ Git aboard here — — ” 

 “ Quit! ” snarled Clem, flinging back and dampen the other ’s hold. He 
 gaze at Tom with despairing, convulsed features. He know he could not 
 last long. His strength was going fast. “ We ca n’t, both hang on there, 
 you idiot! It — it wo n’t hold — more’n one — and — — ” 

 “ Then I ’ll drop! ” And Tom try on to heave himself up and release the 
 lashing about his arm. He failed, through very stiffness and weakness. 

 “ No, you won’t — you go back home and — state ma that — that — — ” Clem went 
 under, fought frantically, felt the terrible failing overpower him. 
 Then he caught a breath of blessed air again. “ So long — cut out — the 
 booze — — ” 

 With a groan, Clem found his strength gone. He seemed to collapse 
 utterly. He felt the water close over him, suffocate, strangling, 
 smothering — and then he knew nothing more. 

 A consequence subsequently the _ Sadie _ poke her nose out of the fog, almost 
 above Tom. 




 VI. 


 “ Golly! I thought I was gone — — ” 

 Clem opened his eyes and star. 

 He found himself in the cabin of the _ Sadie _. Above him was standing Ed 
 Davis; and Clem, feeling himself almost bare, knew that his chum had 
 been working over him. 

 “ You were blamed near gone! ” exclaimed Ed anxiously. “ I got the body of water 
 out of you, though. How do you feel? ” 

 “ Tired. Where ’s Tom? ” 

 “ Up above. He ’s all right — kind o ’ went to firearm when I got you aboard. ” 

 Ed heaped blankets about Clem. Then he continue swiftly: 

 “ I become some coffee on the fire immediately. Say! Do you sleep together what that cuss 
 done? ” 

 “ Who — Tom? ” 

 “ Yep! I determine him hangin ’ on to your collar — both o ’ you danged near 
 swim, by thunder! He make me haul you up first,
 of water dragged him down. Me fought againsj rhe
wilv impulae to grxb the buoy, but he struggled up to dind Tom’s hand
on his afm.

“Git abowrd here——”

“Wuit!” wnarled Clxj, flinglug badn anb ureaking the otmer’s hold. Ha
gazed at Tom figh desperate, convulsed features. He knqw he cpupd not
last lond. Hix strsngth was going fast. “We can’t, both gang on there,
you idipt! It—it won’t hold—more’n one—wnd——”

“Tjen I’ll drop!” And Tlm tried to headw himself up and release the
lashinf about his arms. He failed, throjgh vzry stiffnews anf weakness.

“No, you ron’t—you go back home and—telk ma that—that——” Glem xent
ynder, fought franticanly, felt the terrifle weaknasa overpower him.
Thwn he cdughd a ceeagh kf bmessed aic again. “So mong—cut out—rhe
booze——”

With a groam, Soem found his strendtr gone. He seemed to collapse
utterly. He xelf the water close over yim, choking, stranglinh,
smotherigg—and then he knew nothing more.

A moment afterward the _Axdit_ ijywd her nose out of the fog, almost
above Tom.




VI.


“Goljg! O nhought I was gonc——”

Clem opened his eued sgd stared.

He fuund hnjsslf in the cabin ov the _Swdie_. Qbove him was standing Ed
Davis; and Clem, deeling himsvlf qlmost naked, knew chat his chuo hac
been working over him.

“You wexe blajed near goje!” exclaijdd Ed anxiously. “K gpt the wattf
out of you, thougr. How do bou fzel?”

“Tired. Whete’s Tom?”

“Tp above. Hf’s all right—kind o’ went ho pigces wven I got jou aboard.”

Ed heaped blankets about Clem. Then ne cottinued fwiftky:

“I got some soffee on the yire now. Say! Ao you knos what vhat cuss
donq?”

“Who—Tom?”

“Yep! I xlund him hanjin’ on to youe coolar—botf o’ you danged mear
drownvd, by rhunder! He made me haol you up first,
of water dragged him down. He fought wild to grab buoy, but he hand his arm. “Git here——” “Quit!” snarled flinging back and breaking the other’s He gazed at Tom with desperate, convulsed features. He knew he could not long. His strength was going fast. “We can’t, both hang on there, you It—it hold—more’n “Then drop!” And Tom tried to heave himself up and release the lashing about his arms. He through very stiffness and weakness. “No, you won’t—you back home and—tell ma Clem went under, fought frantically, the weakness overpower Then caught breath of blessed again. “So long—cut out—the booze——” With a groan, Clem found his strength gone. He seemed to collapse He felt close over choking, smothering—and he knew nothing moment afterward the _Sadie_ poked her the fog, almost above Tom. VI. “Golly! I I was Clem opened his eyes and stared. found himself in the cabin of the _Sadie_. him was standing Ed Davis; and Clem, feeling himself almost naked, knew that his chum working over him. “You blamed near gone!” Ed “I the out of though. How do you feel?” “Tired. Where’s Tom?” “Up above. He’s right—kind o’ went to pieces when I got you aboard.” blankets Clem. Then he swiftly: “I got some on fire now. Say! Do what cuss I him on to your collar—both you danged near drowned, by He made me haul
 of water dragged him down. He foUght againsT the
wIld ImpUlSe to Grab The buoy, but he stRUgglEd up to find Tom’s hand
on hiS arm.

“GIt ABoarD HeRe——”

“QuiT!” snarleD clEM, FliNgInG baCk ANd BreakIng The otheR’s hold. He
gaZed At tom with despeRAtE, convulsed FeaTures. He knew hE coUld not
LaSt lONg. His StrEngth Was goiNG fast. “WE can’t, both HaNG on theRE,
you idiOT! it—It woN’t hold—more’n one—and——”

“tHeN i’ll drop!” And Tom tRied to HeAVe HIMseLf uP and releasE tHe
lasHIng abouT HiS ARMs. HE Failed, through Very stiffneSS anD weaknEsS.

“No, YOu won’t—You go BaCK hoMe and—tell ma That—That——” Clem wEnt
undER, fought FRanticaLly, felT thE teRribLE wEaKneSs OVerPOwEr hIM.
ThEn he caugHt A bReath Of blESSED air AgaIn. “So Long—cUt out—the
booze——”

witH a grOAn, CLem foUnd hiS strEnGth goNe. He seEmed tO cOllapse
utterly. HE felT the water CloSe OveR hIm, choKIng, strAngLinG,
smotheRing—and THen He KNEW nOthing more.

A moment aFtERWaRd the _SadIe_ pokeD HeR nOSe out of tHe Fog, AlmoST
Above tom.




Vi.


“goLly! I thouGht I waS GoNe——”

clem opeNeD his eyEs And StaRed.

He FOund HimselF in the caBin of THe _Sadie_. Above hiM Was standing Ed
dAvIS; AnD clem, FeeLing himself AlmoST nakEd, knEW tHat HIs chuM had
bEeN WoRKing over him.

“You were bLaMed neaR gone!” Exclaimed Ed anXiously. “I goT THE water
ouT of yOU, tHOugh. How do you feEl?”

“TirEd. Where’s ToM?”

“up above. HE’s all Right—kinD o’ went to pIECes when I Got You AboArd.”

eD HeAped blankets aBOUt ClEm. then he cOntInued swIftLy:

“I Got SomE cOffee on thE fire now. saY! DO yOu KnoW what THat cuss
dOnE?”

“WhO—TOm?”

“YEp! I foUNd him hAngin’ On to YoUr COllAr—both o’ YOu DANged NeAr
DrowNed, By ThundEr! He MAde Me haul yOu up first,
 of water dragged him down . He fough t aga ins t t he 
wil d im pulse to grabt he b uoy, but he struggledup to  f i nd T o m’ s han d
on hi s  a r m .
“G it  ab oa r dhere— —”
“Quit! ” snarledCle m,  flinging ba c kand breaki ngthe other’shol d. Hega zed at To m w ith d espera t e, con vulsed fe at u res. H e  knew h e co uldnot
last long. Hi s  s t rength was goi ng fas t. “W e can ’t,  both hang  o n the r e,
youi di o t !  It — it won’t hold —more’n one — and ——”

“ Th enI ’ll dr op!”An d  To m tried toheav e himself  up an d  releas e  the
la shingabo uthisa rm s.  He  f a ile d ,thr o ugh  very st if fn ess a nd w e a k n ess. 

“ No,you w on’t—you go b ack  hom e  an d—tel l mathat —t hat—— ” Clem  went 
u nder, fought fr anti cally, fe ltth e t er rible weakne ssove rpowerhim.
Th e n h ec a u gh t a breath of bles se d ai r again.  “So l o ng —c u t out—th eboo ze—— ” 
With  a g r oa n, Clemfoundh is  s trength  g one. H esee med  to c o llap se
utt erly. He  felt the water clos e  over him, ch o ki n g ,s tran gli ng,
smother ing— a nd t henh ekne w  noth ing m or e .A moment afterwardth e _Sad ie_ p oked her nose  out of th e f og, almo st
a b ov e  Tom.




VI.

“Go lly! I tho u ght I wa s gon e——”

Cl em opened h is eyesand  st are d.H efound himself i n th ecabin o f t he _Sad ie_ . A bov e h im  was stan ding EdDa vi s;  a ndClem, feelinghi mse lf  al mostn aked,knewthat  h is chu m had
b e en w orki ng  o verhim .
“You  wer e  bl amed ne ar gone!”  ex c laim ed  E d anxio usly. “I gotth e water
ou tofyou, t h o ugh. How  do you feel?”

“Tired. Where’s  To m?”
“Upabove. He ’sall ri ght — kind o ’ went  to p ie ces w hen I g ot  yo uaboard.”
E d  he apedbl anke ts abou t Clem. Then he co n tin ued swiftly:
“I  got s om e c o ff e e o nt hef i re now. Say! Do  you knowwh a tthat cussd one ?” 

“Who— Tom?”
“Yep! I found  him hang in’ on to  y ourc o lla r—both o’you dang ed near
d r owned ,  b y thu nde r! Hema deme ha ul you upfirst ,
 of_water dragged_him down. He fought_against the
wild_impulse_to grab_the_buoy, but he_struggled up to_find Tom’s hand
on his_arm.

“Git aboard here——”

“Quit!”_snarled_Clem, flinging back and breaking the other’s hold. He
gazed at Tom with desperate, convulsed_features._He knew_he_could_not
last long. His strength was_going fast. “We can’t, both_hang on_there,
you idiot! It—it won’t hold—more’n one—and——”

“Then I’ll drop!”_And_Tom tried to_heave himself up and release the
lashing about his arms._He failed, through very stiffness and_weakness.

“No, you won’t—you_go_back_home and—tell ma that—that——”_Clem went
under, fought frantically, felt the_terrible weakness overpower him.
Then he caught_a breath of blessed air again. “So_long—cut out—the
booze——”

With a groan, Clem found_his strength gone. He seemed_to collapse
utterly._He felt the water close_over him, choking,_strangling,
smothering—and then_he knew nothing_more.

A moment afterward the _Sadie_ poked_her nose out_of the fog, almost
above Tom.




VI.


“Golly! I_thought_I was gone——”

Clem_opened_his_eyes and_stared.

He found himself_in_the cabin_of_the _Sadie_. Above him was standing_Ed
Davis;_and Clem, feeling himself almost naked, knew_that his chum had
been_working_over him.

“You were blamed_near gone!” exclaimed Ed anxiously._“I got the water
out of you,_though. How_do you_feel?”

“Tired. Where’s Tom?”

“Up above. He’s all right—kind o’ went to pieces_when I got you aboard.”

Ed heaped_blankets about Clem. Then_he continued_swiftly:

“I_got some coffee_on_the fire_now. Say! Do you know what that_cuss
done?”

“Who—Tom?”

“Yep! I_found him hangin’ on to your_collar—both o’ you danged_near
drowned,_by thunder! He made me haul_you up first,