to yell a warning when he saw one of the rafts steadily tip higher in the water.
“He’s going to spill!” came a cry.
Almost as if that were a signal, the raft shuddered and flipped over. There was a flash of a figure flailing the water and then, over by the deadly rocks of Dog Leg Falls, a head appeared.
“He’s caught!” Doug’s face was white and frightened. “He’ll drown!”
The second raft, meanwhile, was still afloat and coming around the turn fast. With a final leap, it shook itself free of the white water and skidded to safety.
Mike forced himself to hunt for the figure in the water. Was it Sandy? Or the other boy? There was a movement of color in the seething foam near the rocks, and then out into the quiet part of the river popped a paddle, an overturned raft and, following close behind, the head of a swimmer, striking for the far shore.
Sandy wouldn’t do that, Mike thought to himself. He’d head for the near shore. It must be the other boy! He swung around and squinted at the lone raft floating safely in the middle of the river. Whoever was in it was trying to fish something out of the water.
“He made it!” Doug yelled, dancing in excitement. “It’s Sandy! He’s all right!”
Suddenly Mike was laughing. Despite the dirty trick at the end, Sandy had won out. It was the other boy who had fallen in—not Sandy. It was a lucky thing he escaped with nothing worse than a thorough soaking.
“Come on!” Mike yelled. “He’s coming in for a landing!” Together, Mike and Doug sprinted down the bank of the river to meet the raft before it touched shore.
“Hey!” yelled Doug, breaking stride for a moment. “What’s he got in his hand?”
As Sandy guided his raft toward them Mike saw him grin and wave something in the air. Then all at once he knew what it was.
“It’s your paddle, Doug,” he chuckled. “Sandy picked it up out of the water. Don’t you remember? That’s what this whole thing was supposed to be about. Your paddle!”
Laughing as they ran, the two of them splashed out into the river to welcome Sandy.
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