"So, Dad, he called to Uncle, saying that I was to go with him. His boat
was pretty well crowded up, too. Back I went to get Lassie. As soon as
I'd picked up the pups, Lassie was willing enough to come along. The
water was running over the floor and made it slippery. My crutch
slithered on the wet wood and I tumbled down. It was pretty dark, and I
had a job finding the four puppies again. When I did gather 'em up and
started for the porch again, Uncle Jack was gone."

"Without you?"

"He thought I was with Dad, and I suppose Dad was sure I was with Uncle
Jack."

"They ought to have found out and come back after you as soon as they
got together."

"I thought of that," the crippled lad answered, "and that's what I
expected would happen. I suppose, though, they didn't land at the same
place, and so each bunch thinks I'm with the other and isn't doing any
worrying."

"It's a mighty awkward mix-up," declared Ross. "There's no saying what
might have happened to you if Rex hadn't been on the job."

"Was it Rex who brought you here?"

"It sure was," Ross replied, and he described how the terrier had pulled
him by the leg and insisted on his coming over to the house in the
hollow.

"Where's Rex now," queried Anton, "down in our old boat?"

"Yes, he's down there, keeping watch, good old scout," answered Ross.
"He ought to be satisfied now, he certainly made fuss enough to bring me
here. But, look here, Anton, how are we going to get you out? You don't
swim."

"No," answered his chum mournfully, "I can't swim."

"If there was room enough down that stair," said Ross, thoughtfully, "I
could take you on my back, but we'd never get through that door, and
the window would be even worse."

"I'd been thinking of that," Anton answered. "I wondered how Dad would
get me when he found out that I wasn't with Uncle Jack and came for me.
So I made a long rope out of strips of my sheets."

"What's the good of that?"

"Well," said the younger boy, "I was wondering if I couldn't get out of
the window. My arms are awful strong, you know, Ross."

"Yes," the other agreed, "you've plenty of muscle there."

"I thought if I could drop that line out of the window, Dad could grab
it and hold the boat there. Then I could chuck down Lassie and the pups
in a basket--I've got the basket--and slide down the rope of sheets into
the boat."

Ross thought for a minute.

"I don't see why we couldn't do that now," he said. "Suppose we tie