Page:Keeban (IA keeban00balm).pdf/62

 for breath. I bent over them and in that trickle of light from the bridge, I saw a face—one face, Jerry's. I could not see the other. Then they turned; the one on top was on the bottom but they were over again before I could see. There was Jerry's face once more.

"Stay out, Steve!"

They were throttling each other as they rolled; they came to the edge of the water and I pulled them back, hauling on one and dragging the two.

A light was coming; soon I would see; for the boat, which had been blowing for the bridges, was slipping up. I looked about to it; and something happened; a splash below me. One of the two was gone; the other, gasping, stood on the edge of the timbers, staring down and moving along this way and that while he watched.

I had my gun out now and shoved it against him.

"Steve, you old fool," he cried. "He broke my hold; he's in the water! Watch; where is he?"

"You tell me this," I came back at him. "What was the book we kept first in the case at