Page:The Wizard of Wall Street and his Wealth.djvu/343

 and shaking sails, came to a stand, fast on the sandy bottom. There she was bound to stay until the obstructing board was lifted again.

"'What's the matter?' exclaimed Mr. Gould, anxiously. Of course he had not detected the ruse, for he knew no more about the working of a yacht than a sea cow does about differential calculus.

"'I'm afraid we're aground,' replied Mr. Cruger, with a fine assumption of sadness. 'Boys, get out the sweeps and push her off.'

"We struggled with the long oars in a great show of ardor, while Gould watched us in breathless suspense, between hope and fear. But as we had taken care to put the sweeps overboard astern, the harder we shoved the faster we stuck. The little man's suspicions were not in the slightest degree aroused and he turned in despair to Mr. Cruger.

"'What shall I do!' he almost wailed. 'I've got to catch that train!'

"'Then,' replied the joker, solemnly, 'you'll have to wade or swim.'

"Already the train was in sight, two miles away, and whatever was to be done had to be done quickly. As I have said, there was plenty of grit in the embryo railroad king, and quick as a wink he was out of his sable clothes and standing before us clad only in his aggressively scarlet undergarments. Holding his precious broadcloth suit above his head, he stepped into the water, which, shallow as it was, reached to the armpits of the little gentleman. Then he started for the shore, his short, thin legs