CHAPTER IV.

SAVING THE SLOOP.

It was no pleasant position to be in. The three lads had been cast so suddenly into the angry waters that for the moment they could not comprehend the situation.

Then Blumpo let out a yell of terror.

"Save me! De boat has gone down!"

He was wrong, however, for a second later the row-boat bobbed up, less than four yards off.

"This way!" shouted Harry to his companions, but the wind fairly drowned his voice. He swam toward the upturned craft, and Blumpo and Jerry were not slow in following it.

Hardly had they reached it when a new peril confronted them. The Cutwater was bearing directly down upon them. With every sail set, she was in the very act of cutting them to pieces!

"Look! look!" yelled Harry. "We are doomed!"

"My gracious!" moaned Blumpo.

On and on came the sloop, with gigantic bounds over the whitecaps. Clarence Conant seemed utterly powerless to stay her course, or steer her to the right or left.

The young ladies on board with him huddled in a heap near the tiny cabin, their faces white with terror.

It was truly a thrilling moment.

Of the entire crowd Jerry was the only one to keep perfectly cool.

He was astride the row-boat, directly in the centre of the bottom, and it seemed as if the prow of the Cutwater must strike him in a second more.

"Every one dive under!" he called out, and went overboard like a flash. What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. How many fell in the water?
2. Were the waters calm?
3. Who first broke the silence?
4. What happened to their vessel?
5. Was Blumpo correct?
6. How far away was the boat?
7. Whose voice was drowned out?
8. What drowned him out?
9. Where did he swim to?
10. Who followed close behind?
11. What disaster faced them after reaching the boat?
12. Who pointed out the oncoming emergency first?
13. Was he optimistic about it?
14. Who was steering The Cutwater?
15. Were there other people on board?
16. Were the people calm?
17. Were the other people men?
18. Who was the only one to stay collected?
19. What was his location?
20. What did he suggest to save themselves?
Answer: 1. Three
2. No
3. Blumpo
4. Overturned
5. No
6. Less than four yards off.
7. Harry
8. The wind
9. To the upturned craft
10. Blumpo and Jerry
11. The Cutwater
12. Harry
13. No
14. Clarence Conant
15. Yes
16. No
17. No
18. Jerry
19. In the centre of the bottom
20. Every one dive under

CHAPTER VI

WAITING FOR NEWS

It took Randolph Rover several minutes to comprehend the various statements made by the boys. That he had really been swindled by such nicely-spoken men as he had met at the Carwell hotel seemed extraordinary to him.

"I understand the bonds were not registered," said Dick.

"That is true," groaned his uncle.

"Then anybody could use them."

"Yes, although I have the numbers,--on a sheet in my desk at home."

"Well, that will make it more difficult for the rascals to dispose of them," said Sam.

"I'd like to catch that Merrick and that Pike, and punch their heads for them," commented Tom. It angered him exceedingly to see how readily his open-minded relative had fallen into the swindlers' trap.

"But there may be some mistake," said Randolph Rover, in a forlorn tone. "Would that Merrick dare to impersonate Mr. Jardell?"

"Swindlers will do anything," answered Sam.

"We can make sure of that point by sending word to the traction company offices," answered Dick. "You are sure Mr. Jardell is the treasurer?"

"Yes--Mr. Andrew D. Jardell."

"Let us go back to town and see if we can catch him by long distance 'phone or by telegraph."

Shaking his head sadly, Randolph Rover turned his buggy around and followed the boys to the central office of the telephone company. Here all was activity on account of the broken-down wires, but communications were being gradually resumed. They looked into the telephone book, and at last got a connection which, a few minutes later, put them into communication with Andrew D. Jardell's private residence in the city. What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. What was Andrews job?
2. Who was trying to contact him?
3. Why
4. Did Merrick work alone?
5. Who was his partner in crime?
6. Who was Tom?
7. Was something stolen?
8. what did Tom want to do to the men?
9. what were the numbers for?
10. who was Randolph behind?
11. where did they go?
12. was he happy?
13. how did they find the phone number?
14. were they ever able to connect with Jardell?
15. how many men were present
16. Where were the bonds numbers kept?
Answer: 1. treasurer
2. Dick
3. To be sure that Merrick impersonated Mr. Jardell
4. No
5. Pike
6. Randolph Rover's relative
7. unknown
8. punch their heads
9. For the bonds
10. the boys
11. to the central office of the telephone company
12. No
13. They looked into the telephone book
14. Yes
15. four
16. on Randolph Rover's desk

Hunters and bears are often put in fairy tales and often provide a lot for us to think about life and human nature.

Two hunters, Ali and Hagan, went hunting for bears. For four days they saw nothing. Each night they slept in a nearby village, pledging to make part of the bear's skin against the cost of their lodging . On the fifth day a huge bear appeared, and Ali said nervously to his friend, "I don't mind admitting that I'm afraid to take this bear." Hagan laughed, "Just leave it to me, little coward."

So Ali _ like lightning up the nearest tree at once, and Hagan stood with his gun at the ready. The huge creature came, moving on in a slow and awkward way, and Hagan began to grow more and more scared. At last he raised his gun to his shoulder, but by now he was trembling so much that, before he could take proper aim, his gun went off and missed the target .

Hagan, remembering that bears never touch a dead body, threw himself flat on the ground and held his breath. The bear came up, sniffed all around him and moved off in the end.

Ali, who had been watching the whole thing from the tree, now came down and, congratulating Hagan on his escape, asked him, "What did the bear whisper in your ear just now?"

"Don't sell the bear's skin before you have caught the bear," Hagan announced. What are the answers to this following set of questions: 1. What were Ali and Hagan doing in the story?
2. Where did they sleep each night?
3. How did they pay for their rooms?
4. What happened on the fifth day?
5. Did they shoot the bear?
6. What did Hagan do after the gun went off?
7. What did the bear do?
8. What did Hagan tell Ali the bear whispered to him?
9. What did Ali do when he saw the bear?
10. Who took a shot at the bear?
Answer:
1. hunting for bears
2. a nearby village
3. a part of the bear's skin
4. a huge bear appeared
5. no
6. threw himself the ground
7. he moved on
8. "Don't sell the bear's skin before you have caught the bear,"
9. climbed a tree
10. Hagan