You see his invention, the one he spoke to me about just before we started, was a Life Saver. When we were learning to be Scouts Mr. Norton taught us how to bring drowned people back to life again; that is, if they haven't been in the water too long. What Hank wanted to do was to invent something that would keep them from getting drowned in the first place. "It's all right to bring them to life," he told me, "but it would be a heap better not to have 'em drown at all." After doing a lot of thinking, he made a sort of balloon of oiled silk, with the mouth fastened to a hollow reed and a piece of potato to put over the end of the reed, instead of a cork. Hanging from the mouthpiece were two pieces of stout cord. "What's it for, Hank?" asked Skinny, when he was showing it to us. "It looks like a bagpipe." "It's a Life Saver," he said. "You carry it in your pocket when the air is out of it and look along the river until you find somebody drowning. Then you throw him the Life Saver, if he hasn't got one in his own pocket. He ties it around his neck, puts the mouthpiece to his lips, and blows the bag full of wind. Then he puts the potato on the end to keep the air from leaking out. He can't sink, can he? The balloon will hold him up." "Great snakes, Hank!" said Bill. "You've got a great head--like a tack." "A tack's head is level, just the same." "Guess what," said Benny. "Let's go swimming up to the Basin, to-morrow, and try it." "We can go swimming if we want to," Hank told him, "but I did try it. It worked and it didn't work." "What's the answer?" I asked. "Well, you see, I walked all the way to Cheshire Harbor, looking for a chance to use the Life Saver and I couldn't find anybody even in swimming, let alone drowning. The water isn't deep enough for drowning in most places, anyhow. But when I got to Cheshire Harbor I found a kid sitting on the bank of the race, fishing. "'What you got?' he asked, when he saw me fooling with the Life Saver. "'Jump in,' I said, after I had told him about it. 'I'll show you how it works.' "'Jump in yourself,' he said. 'I don't want to get my feet wet. Let's see the old thing, anyway.' "I handed it to him and he blew up the bag until I thought it would bust, and then tied it on with the strings. "'Say, that's great stuff,' said he. 'I'll bet it will work all right.' "When he said that, I don't know why I did it, but it seemed as if I couldn't help it. I felt as if I just had to save him. I pushed him in, balloon and all." "Gee-e-ewhilikens!" shouted Skinny. "You mutt!" said Bill. Mr. Norton was too surprised to say anything, but he had the funniest look on his face. "Did it work?" Benny asked. "It worked all right, but----" "But what?" I said, beginning to get mad because Hank kept stopping at the most interesting parts.