Page:Castlemon--Joe Wayring at Home.djvu/346

 there and capture my canoe, or else run over her and send her to the bottom. Don't let those villains take her away from me again."

"All right," replied Roy, still giving away strong on his oar. "We'll get your canoe back for you, but we will take care of you first."

"No, no!" insisted Joe. "Capture or sink the canoe first, and attend to me afterward. I am all right, I tell you. I can easily keep afloat until you come back."

"Why, boy, you haven't got a breath to spare," said Arthur. "I know it by the way you talk. Come in out of the wet."

"You held fast to your fly-rod through it all, didn't you?" said Roy, as he took me from Joe's hand.

"Yes. I didn't know whether or not I could outrun them, and I wanted something to defend myself with in case they came up with me."

When Joe tried to climb into the skiff, he found that he was by no means in as good condition as he thought he was. He could scarcely help himself at all, and his chums were obliged to pull him in by main strength. The moment they let go of him he sank down