Fernald turned a somewhat agitated face to look round and was amazed to find himself alone in the canoe. In a moment, nevertheless, he realized that his late companion had fallen overboard. He also saw that attention had been turned from him to Cole. Immediately the man retreated toward the middle of the canoe in order to balance it evenly, and then, without offering to aid in the rescue of Jack Cole, he paddled hurriedly away. “Hold on, Fernald!” cried Dick. “Wait and help your friend! Don’t play the coward!” The man made no retort, but continued to pull away. Cole rose to the surface and attempted to swim. To his horror, he found he was entangled in the rope in such a manner that he could not take a stroke. With a gurgling cry, he again disappeared from view. Dick Merriwell wasted no time. Slipping off his shoes and speaking a word of warning to Brad in order that the Texan might not be taken by surprise and upset, he plunged from the canoe into the lake, thus promptly going to the assistance of his enemy. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CHAPTER XIII COLE’S CHANGE OF HEART. When Cole again came to the surface Merriwell was near enough to make a quick, forward lunge and seized him. Fortunate indeed was this for the fellow entangled in the rope, as he could make no effective efforts to keep himself afloat, and his struggle to free his limbs was sufficient to cause him to sink again only for Dick’s promptness in reaching him. Fortunately for the would-be rescuer, Cole’s hands were bound to his sides by the rope which had become wound about him, and, therefore, he could not clutch Merriwell. Nevertheless, he struggled to free himself, at the same time choking and strangling as Dick sought to keep his mouth and nose above the surface. “Be still!” ordered Dick. “Are you anxious to drown? If you keep still we’ll get you out all right.” At first the helpless fellow did not seem to hear, but after a while Merriwell succeeded in impressing upon him the idea that he was hindering his own rescue by his efforts, and when Cole gave up struggling Dick found it no great task to keep him afloat. By this time Buckhart had brought the canoe round close to them and cautiously reached over to grasp Cole by the shoulder. “Don’t let him catch hold and upset me, Dick,” warned the Texan. “He’s liable to do it.” “Not now,” answered Merriwell. “Not until he can use his hands.” By the time Dick freed Cole from the rope, which he finally succeeded in doing, both he and Brad had impressed it upon the fellow that it would be fatal to catch hold of the side of the canoe. They induced him to wait until the stern of the canvas craft was swung round to him, and then, directed by Dick, he got hold of it. “Paddle toward the shore, Buckhart!” cried Merriwell. “You will have to tow him into shallow water.”