lips. The men leaned over and grasped his arms, and at last succeeded in
pulling him into the boat.

He was a strange figure, and would hardly have been recognized as being a
man. The thick mud clung to him, and made his features unrecognizable.

"Here," exclaimed Bert, "let's get the mud off him," and accordingly the
contents of several water bottles was dashed over his face. At last he
was able to open his eyes and to speak.

"There's no use my trying to thank you," he said, addressing the little
group. "Nothing I can say can express my thankfulness to everybody here,
and especially these three lads, who have certainly done wonders for me."

"Oh, that, all right," said Bert, "maybe you'll have a chance to do
something for us one day, and then we'll be quits."

"Well, that doesn't alter matters at present," replied Hartley, "and you
and your friends certainly did everything that could be done. I had just
about given up hope when you happened along."

"It's a lucky thing for you they did, Hartley," broke in one of the
engineers, who had accompanied the rescuing party. "Why, when these two
lads dashed into camp and told us of your fix, we gave you up for lost.
That reed business was certainly a great stunt."

"No doubt about it," agreed another, and the three boys were deluged with
a flood of like congratulations. Then the party started back. Hartley
pluckily declared that he could walk, but they overruled him, and took
turns in carrying him on a rude litter that they had hastily knocked
together.

"That fellow certainly has got wonderful nerve," said Tom to Bert and
Dick, and they heartily agreed with him.

CHAPTER X

A PERILOUS ADVENTURE

The party reached the camp without further adventure, and Mr. Hartley was
put under the care of the camp physician. The latter pronounced him all
right with the exception of the shock, and the only prescription he gave
was "two or three days of thorough rest."

"Well, that's easy medicine to take,", said Hartley, with a faint smile,
when he heard this verdict, "but I hope you lads will come and visit me
and help me kill time. I'm used to a pretty strenuous life, and time
will hang awfully heavy on my hands if you don't. Besides, I want to
have a chance to express my appreciation of your brave conduct better
than I have been able to so far."

"Well, we'll come to see you, all right, with pleasure," said Bert, "only
first we want to make one condition