later, topple over into the water, where there was quite a swift
current.

"Help! Help!" the man cried. "I'm drowning!"

[Illustration: "Caught the man by his long hair"]

Bert hesitated only long enough to toss off his coat and in he
plunged. He could just make out the head of the man, being swept under
the bridge, and he swam rapidly toward it. An instant later he had
caught the man by his rather long hair and was pulling him toward
shore.

"You--you saved my life!" gasped the rescued one, as soon as he was on
the bank and could speak, for he had swallowed some water. "I can't
swim."

"Oh, I guess you'd have been all right," said Bert. "It is shallow a
short distance below here, and you could have waded out."

"No," said the man, rather solemnly; "I'd have gone to the bottom and
stayed there. I'm that unlucky."

He seemed quite affected and spoke sadly. Then, by the distant gleam
of the lanterns on the engine, Bert saw that the man was ragged and
quite unkempt. In short, he was a tramp.

"Where are you from?" asked Bert.

"From New York. I was asleep under that haystack, and I woke up to