"He's dead!" insisted a number, when there was no move in the bottom
of the boat. Then the guard stooped down and brought up--Downy!

"Only a duck!" screamed all the boys in the crowd, while the other
life-saver laughed heartily over his preparations to restore a duck to
consciousness.

"He's mine! He's mine!" insisted Freddie, as the life-saver fondled
the pretty white duck, and the crowd cheered.

"Yes, he does belong to my little brother," Bert said, "and he didn't
mean to fool you at all. It was just a mistake," the older brother
apologized.

"Oh, I know that," laughed the guard. "But when we think there is any
danger we don't wait for particulars. He's a very pretty duck all the
same, and a fine swimmer, and I'm glad I got him for the little
fellow, for likely he would have kept on straight out to smooth water.
Then he would never have tried to get back."

The guard now handed Downy over to his young owner, and without
further remarks than "Thank you," Freddie started off through the
crowd, while everybody wanted to see the wonderful duck. The joke
caused no end of fun, and it took Harry, Hal, and Bert to save Freddie
and Downy from being too roughly treated, by the boys who were
over-curious to see both the wonderful duck and the happy owner.


CHAPTER XII
REAL INDIANS