arms around his rescuer. This was just what Frank was desirous 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