The craft was turned around and headed for the lady. Then Randy threw off his cap--he was already in his shirt sleeves--and stood up in the bow. He gazed anxiously into the muddy water and caught a dim view of the little girl's white dress. "My child! My child!" the mother continued to scream. [Illustration] "I'll bring her up," said Randy, and made a leap overboard, just as the gunwale of the rowboat came within reaching distance of the lady's hands. The little girl had been caught by the current and was being carried down the stream. Randy made a quick grab but missed her, and then she disappeared from view. But in a few seconds more he saw her again, and this time secured hold of her arm. The next moment he raised her to the surface of the river. She was too far gone to do anything but splutter. She clutched him with a deathlike grip--a thing every person in danger of drowning will do--and he had his hands full to keep both himself and his burden afloat. Shallow water was not far off and he struck out for this and waded ashore. In the meantime Jack was having no easy time of it getting the lady into the rowboat. There was serious danger of the craft overturning, and he had to caution her to be careful. "My child! My Helen!" she moaned, when she was at last safe. "My friend will save her," answered Jack. "You are sure?" "Yes." CHAPTER XII A STEAMBOAT MAN Having saved the lady from her uncomfortable if not dangerous position, Jack lost no time in rowing for the shore. Soon he was at the river bank and the lady leaped out of the rowboat and ran to where Randy had placed his dripping burden on the grass. "My Helen! Is she safe?" asked the lady, anxiously. "I think so," answered our hero. "But I guess she swallowed some river water." "Oh, how thankful I am that you went after her." "It was the only thing to do. I saw she couldn't swim." The little girl was still gasping for breath. The mother threw herself on the grass and did what she could for her. Soon the little girl gave a cry: "Mamma!" "Yes, darling, I am here!" "Oh, dear! I am all wet!" "Be thankful that your life has been spared." "That boy brought me out of the water." "Yes, dear--and he was brave to do it," answered the mother and beamed on Randy to such an extent that he had to blush. By this time the two men had also come ashore. The steam was still blowing off on the tug but the danger appeared to be over. Later the engineer announced that a valve and a connection had broken, and the craft would have to remain where she was until towed off. "I am glad to see you are all safe," said the man who ran the tug. "There wasn't very much danger on board." "It looked bad enough," said one of the men who had leaped overboard. "I didn't want to get scalded." "And neither did I," added the other.