The speedy watercraft was in readiness for a run, and the three
cadets, racing down to her, soon had the motor started and the bow
of the boat pointed to the floating airship. The latter was moving
slowly from the force of the current, which was not rapid here. The
affair of wings, struts, planes and machinery floated, half
submerged, and probably would not have sunk when the accident
occurred except that the great speed at which it was travelling
forced it below the surface, even as one can force under a piece of
wood.

But the wood rises, and the buoyant airship would have done the
same, perhaps, save for the fact that it had become caught. Now it
was freed.

"Make this rope fast to it," directed Dick, as he guided his
motor-boat close to the airship. "We'll tow it to the dock."

Paul and Innis undertook this part of the work, and in a few moments
the Mabel, Dick's boat, was headed toward shore, towing the wrecked
airship. A crowd of the cadets awaited with interest the arrival.

When the Mabel had been made fast to the dock, other ropes were
attached to the aircraft that floated at her stern, and the wrecked
biplane was slowly hauled up the sloping bank of the stream.

"Some smash, that!"

"Look at the planes, all bent and twisted!"

"But the motor is all there!"