After dinner the breeze died out utterly, and Sam proposed that they cast anchor close to shore and take a swim. The others were willing, and soon they had disrobed and donned their bathing trunks and were sporting in the water to their hearts' content. The water was somewhat colder than they had anticipated, and the effect upon Sam was disastrous. The youngest Rover had eaten more heartily than either of his brothers and this made him sick at the stomach. However, as he did not wish to alarm Dick and Tom and so spoil their fun, he said nothing about his condition. "Let us race each other," suggested Tom, and started off up the shore, with Dick close beside him. Sam brought up in the rear, but soon gave up the contest. "Help!" The single cry reached the ears of Tom and Dick when they were fully a hundred feet from the _Spray_. Both turned just in time to behold Sam throw up his arms and sink from view. "Great Caesar!" burst out Dick. "What can that mean?" "Maybe he is only fooling," replied Tom. "Yet I wouldn't think he would be so foolish." "I don't think Sam is fooling," said Dick seriously, and at once struck out to where the youngest Rover had gone down. Of course Tom went with him. To reach the spot was not an easy matter, and they were still some distance away when they saw Sam come up again. Then there was a wild circling of arms and the boy disappeared once more. "He is drowning!" gasped Dick hoarsely. "Come, we must save him, Tom!" "Yes, yes," was the puffing answer, for Tom was swimming as never before, and for a brief instant he remembered that awful adventure Sam had had at Humpback Falls, the summer previous. At that time the youngest Rover had nearly lost his life in the water. It was Dick who gained the spot first, just as Sam came up and went down again--totally unconscious. Diving, the elder Rover caught his brother around the chest, under the arms. "Sam, Sam, what is it?" he questioned, and as no reply came back his heart almost stopped beating. What if his brother was dead? The agony of the thought was terrible beyond description. "Can I help you?" The question came from Tom, who was now at the side of the others. "Catch hold of one arm, if you will," answered Dick. "He's a dead weight." "Oh!" The moan came so unexpectedly that both Tom and Dick were amazed. Then of a sudden Sam opened his eyes and clutched Dick by the throat. "Save me!" Clearly the youngest Rover was out of his mind or he would not have taken such a hold. As it was, Dick was nearly strangled and had to unlock the fingers by sheer force. Then Sam grabbed him again, and it looked as if both would go down to a watery grave. But now Tom came to the rescue. Swimming up from behind, he caught Sam first under one arm--and then under the other, in a back-to-back fashion. Then he bent forward and began to tread water, thus holding his brother's head well out of water.