But now Tom came to the rescue. Swimming up from behind, he
caught Sam first under one arm -- and then under the other, in a
back-to-back fashion. Then he bent forward and began to tread
water, thus holding his brother's head well out of water.

"Push us ashore, Dick!" he panted, and understanding the movement
perfectly, the elder brother did as desired. Soon all three
gained a point from which Tom could wade to the river bank with
ease.

It was an anxious pair that bent over Sam, who rested on his back
with his eyes closed. But the youngest Rover was not allowed to
remain long in that position. Tom and Dick knew something of how
to handle a person who is nearly drowned, and they now made use
of this knowledge with all speed. Sam was rolled and hoisted up
by the ankles, and thus he got rid of a large quantity of the
water he had swallowed.

Yet even when he came to his senses he was too weak to walk, and
Tom had to bring the Spray close to shore, and the sufferer had
to be carried on board, his brothers wading up to their waists
for that purpose.

"The first cramp I got was in the stomach," said Sam, when he
could talk. "Then it went all over me like an electric shock,
and I felt I was going to drown. What happened after that was
like some awful dream!" And he shuddered. It was a long while
before any of them got over that adventure.