Part 45 (1/2)

Ordinarily this hand over hand climb would have been an easy feat for the Circus Boy. As it was, however, the lad was forced to pause every foot or so, and, twisting the rope about an arm and a leg, hang there between sky and water, gasping for breath, every nerve and muscle in his body a-quiver.

Few men, no matter how strong nor how great their endurance, could have gone through what Phil Forest had endured that night.

He was glad to be out of the water, where he was in imminent danger of being drowned as the boat jerked him along. Of course he was not obliged to cling to the rope, but the chances of his reaching sh.o.r.e, were he to let go, he felt were very remote.

”I am glad Teddy is not here,” muttered Phil with a half smile as he thought of his companion back on the ”Marie” fast asleep.

”I wonder what he will think when he finds that I am missing?

I hope they do not turn about and come back to look for me, for I hardly think they will be able to do that and make their next stand in time.”

Once more the lad began pulling himself up the rope. At last, to his great relief, his fingers closed over the stern rail of the river boat. Phil pulled himself up as if he were chinning the bar, though in this case he chinned it only once.

Elbows were braced on the rail, then the right leg was thrown over and Phil Forrest was high and dry on the deck of a great river steamer, after an experience that perhaps never had befallen a human being on the Mississippi before.

He found himself standing face to face with an officer of the boat, who proved to be the mate. The man was so astonished at the dripping figure that had come over the stern, that, for the moment, he did not speak.

”Good evening,” greeted Phil politely.

”Who are you?” demanded the mate sternly.

”I guess I am Old Neptune himself. Maybe I am a mermaid.

At least I have just risen from the sea, and mighty glad I am that I have risen.”

The officer seized Phil. Leading the boy to where the light shone from the main cabin window, he peered into the lad's face.

Evidently fairly well satisfied by his brief glance into the honest eyes of the Circus Boy, the officer quickly turned and led Phil to the forward end of the boat, where he summoned the captain, who was lying down in the pilot house.

”What's this? Whom have you here?”

”I don't know, sir,” answered the officer. ”He came over the side half a mile above here.”

”What--what's this--came over the side?”

”Yes, sir.”

”Impossible!”

”I saw him. I was standing astern when he climbed over the rail.”

”See here, young man, what does this mean?”

”I fell from a boat, sir, further up the river. I was trying to swim ash.o.r.e when you nearly ran me down. You see, I did not know you were going to make that sharp turn and I did not have time to get out of the way.”

”That is not a likely story, young man. How did you get aboard this boat? That is what I want to know.”

Phil explained that he had caught hold of a rope.

”Is there a rope trailing, mate?”

”I don't know, sir.”