The Aeroplane Boys on the Wing | Page 5

of
avoiding. He simply wanted to keep the head of Puss above water until
the boat could come and willing hands be stretched down to relieve him
of his burden.
So he kept treading water and fighting Puss off as best he was able. It
was no easy task, since he still had his baseball shoes on; and
swimming in one's clothes is always a difficult proposition. But Frank
knew no such word as fail and continued to strive, keeping one eye on
Puss and the other on the approaching power boat.
"Steady now, Puss!" he kept saying, again and again, trying to instill
some sense in the head of the frantic boy, who still believed he must be
going down again. "Keep your breath in your lungs and you'll float!
Don't kick so; I'm going to hold you up till the boys come. It's all right,
Puss; you're safe!"
All the same Frank was mighty well pleased when the launch did swing
close alongside and half a dozen hands reached out to clutch hold of
them both.

"Puss first, fellows!" he said, with a half laugh. "I can crawl in myself, I
guess." But they would not hear of it, so willing hands lifted him up as
soon as the other dripping figure had been deposited in the bottom of
the boat.
Frank made light of the adventure, after his usual style.
"Oh, come, let up on that!" he remarked, when some of the fellows
were patting him on the back and calling him a hero and all such things
that were particularly disagreeable to Frank. "It was just a cinch to me,
you know. I'm half a water spaniel, anyway. Besides, if it hadn't been
for the way I riled him, Puss wouldn't have fallen overboard. Drop it,
please."
By the time the boat reached the landing near the dock where the lake
steamer touched, Puss seemed to have discharged his cargo of water,
swallowed unintentionally.
He made his appearance, with several cronies clustered about him.
Frank was not the one to hold a grudge. Besides, he had come out of
the affair with flying colors and had nothing to regret. So he strode up
to Puss at once, holding out his hand.
Every boy on board crowded around, eager to see how the bully would
behave, for they knew his natural disposition and wondered whether
any sort of miracle had been wrought in his disposition because of his
recent submersion.
"I hope you're feeling all right now, Puss," Frank said, pleasantly. "I
wanted to ask your pardon for treating you so roughly; but knowing
you couldn't swim, I was afraid that if you closed with me we'd both go
down."
"But you struck me once right in the face, you coward!" exclaimed the
other, as he put his still trembling hand up to where a bruise of some
sort could be seen.
"Yes, I admit it," returned Frank, quickly; "and that was what I wanted

to apologize for. You grabbed me and it was the only way I could break
your hold. I've been told by life savers that often they have to strike a
man and knock him senseless to save themselves from being dragged
down. You must understand that it was no time to be particular. I had to
save myself in order to help you!"
The other stared hard at him. Evidently Puss had not yet entirely
recovered after his close call. At any rate it was positive that he could
not understand how he actually owed his very life to the speedy action
of this boy whom he hated so bitterly.
They saw him shake his head, much as a dog might that is worrying a
rat.
"Well, you only undid your own dirty work. You pushed me in and
then you got cold feet. For fear that I'd drown and you'd be hung you
jumped in to do your usual grandstand act of hero! Didn't I hear these
softies calling you that right now? No, I don't want to touch your hand.
Keep your friendship for those who can appreciate it. There's a long
account between us that's going to be settled some fine day."
And with these ungrateful words Puss Carberry strode off the boat,
surrounded by his cronies, who were doubtless pleased with the course
of things.
"Well, did you ever hear of such base ingratitude in all your born
days?" exclaimed Larry Geohegan, making a gesture of supreme
disgust.
"And to think of the skunk saying Frank pushed him in!" echoed
Elephant, "when he actually risked his life to save the cur. Ain't I glad
now I didn't carry out my first impulse and jump after Puss, even before
Frank went. Why, maybe he'd have even said I tried to drown