s the excursion
boat on her return.

"She is not coming near us," said Jerry. "Pull on."

Harry had just taken to the oars again, when a wild cry rang out. It came
from the row-boat which held Peters and Crosby.

"Stop! Don't run us down!"

"The steamboat is onto them!" ejaculated Jerry.

Scarcely had he spoken when there came another cry, followed by a crash.

"They've been struck!" yelled Harry.

"Pull ahead!" cried Jerry. "Like as not they have either been killed or
are drowning!"

He sprang to Harry's side, and with an oar each they sped on to the
assistance of the unfortunate ones.

In the meanwhile the steamboat stopped.

"What's the trouble?" called a voice.

No answer was vouchsafed, and a moment later the steamboat went on.

"Like as not, Si Peters and Wash Crosby are dead," observed Harry, as he
bent to his oar.

"We'll soon know the truth," replied the young oarsman.

Both boys pulled a swift stroke, and were soon on the spot where the
catastrophe had occurred.

In the meanwhile the steamboat was fast disappearing in the distance. Soon
the last light faded from sight.

In the darkness of the night Jerry and Harry could see but little.

"There is an oar," cried Harry, pointing it out.

"And there is part of the row-boat's bottom," said Jerry. "It looks as if
the row-boat was actually ground to pieces."

"Then it isn't likely that Si Peters and Wash Crosby escaped."

"Well, we'll take a good look around."

The two continued to row about, but for a long while saw nothing but bits
of wreckage.

Then our hero beheld a form floating just to their right.

"Take both oars, Harry," he said, "and be careful, for that is Wash
Crosby's body."

Harry took the oars and began to row slowly.

As he moved on, Jerry stood in the bow.

At that instant a strange thing happened. Si Peters came up under the
boat, giving it such a shove that Jerry was hurled overboard.

Then, with a swiftness that was really surprising, Si Peters clambered
into the row-boat.

In his hand he held part of a broken oar.

"Jump out after Jerry Upton!" he growled as he advanced upon Harry.

Without replying, Harry leaped up to defend himself. As he did this he saw
that Jerry and Wash Crosby were fighting in the water.

Neither Crosby nor Peters had been hurt by the collision, both having left
their craft before the steamboat struck it.

Their one thought now was to get the good row-boat away from our two
heroes.