“Hold on hard, fellows!” shouted Gerald, twirling the wheel. To the right, off the port bow of the launch, a hulking shadow took shape, a shadow that loomed high above the water and broadened instantly into the black bow of a steamer. Somewhere up there a voice shouted and was drowned in the roar of the whistle. For a long moment the three boys cowering in the cockpit of the launch, frozen into silence, neither spoke nor moved. Then Gerald seized a cushion from a seat and thrust it at Kendall. “Hold tight to that and jump,” he cried. “Quick.” CHAPTER VI THE RESCUE Kendall, clutching the cork-filled cushion, hesitated, but another glance at the towering black shadow almost against them decided him. Harry was already in the water. Gerald, poised on the combing, cried to him again, and so, holding the cushion to his breast, Kendall leaped. He felt the water close over him, heard its surge in his ears. Then, fighting for breath, choked by the water he had swallowed, he found himself afloat, buoyed up by the cushion. Instinctively he worked his legs as he had seen swimmers do, striving to win out of the path of the steamer. A voice called near at hand. “Gerald! Kendall!” Kendall tried to answer, but seemingly had no voice, and only succeeded in choking and coughing. But Gerald, from somewhere in the fog, replied: “Over here, Harry. Can you keep afloat? Where’s Kendall?” This time Kendall managed to answer. “I’m here. I’m all right. Did she hit us?” “I don’t know. Find Kendall, Harry. He’s got a cushion that will keep you up, too. Call again, Kendall.” Then from a distance away, muffled by the fog, came a hail: “Launch ahoy! Are you all right?” “We’re in the water,” called Gerald. “Can’t see our launch.” “What?” asked the voice, evidently through a megaphone. Gerald repeated. “Hold on then! We’re dropping a boat!” The voice was fainter. Gerald swam out of the mist and made toward Kendall, calling to Harry. Harry replied and in a moment joined the others. “Take hold of the cushion,” Gerald panted. “It’ll hold you both up.” “Take hold yourself,” said Harry, struggling for breath. “I’m all right. If I――didn’t have these shoes on――――” “I think this will hold us all up,” said Kendall weakly. He eased away from the cushion. “Careful,” said Gerald. “Keep one arm over it. That’s it. Lay hold of a corner, Harry, and rest a bit.” “I will if you will,” said Harry stubbornly. “All right.” Gerald took a grip on the cushion and Harry followed suit, and although it sank a little it sustained them. “They’re going to pick us up,” said Gerald. “All right, Kendall?” “All right,” replied Kendall. But his teeth were chattering and he felt a little faint. “If I could get this old sweater off,” Harry was muttering when a hail came across the water. “Which way?” called a voice.