flipped over There was little dark-haired Sue Where’s the funny boat she demanded There It’s heading for our dock Pete a handsome boy of twelve raced ahead of the others to the shore front They all stood on the wooden pier and watched the speeding boat The Hollisters had never seen one like it before It was a wide flat-bottomed craft about twelve feet long Up front were two seats one back of the other Higher up behind these was a single chair made of metal tubing and sitting there was a bronze-skinned man with his left hand on a rudder stick This moved two fins like the tail end of an airplane and between them was mounted a metal tube about three feet long Crickets Pete called out as the boat whizzed past with a peculiar whistling sound That’s a little jet motor I’ve read about Florida airboats Pam said Could this be one The strange craft made a wide circle skimming over the calm surface of Pine Lake As it headed toward the shore again a dark-haired boy of Pete’s age ran into the yard Hi Dave Pete called Did you see that queer boat I thought maybe it was something your dad made said Dave Mead who was Pete’s best friend We’ve never seen it before Ricky replied Just then all the children gasped at once as the boat took a backward flip The driver was thrown from his 8
seat and hit the water with a splash The craft sank beneath the surface For an instant the youngsters were stunned Then Pete cried Come on we must save him Holly Ricky Go tell Mother As Pete stepped down into their rowboat he added Dave I’ll need your help and yours too Pam The two boys each took an oar and rowed toward the place where the boat had sunk There he is Pam called out as they neared the spot Several yards ahead was a man floating on his face He must have been knocked out Pete said as he pulled alongside the drifting figure Give me a hand Dave The two boys tugged at the limp victim and pulled him over the gunwale into the bottom of the boat Pete and Pam gave artificial respiration for a few minutes and the man’s eyes blinked open Who are you was Pete’s first question The man uttered something which sounded like Tiger Tail Then he lapsed into unconsciousness Jiminy Dave said Tiger Tail isn’t any name He must be delirious Pam rested the man’s head against her arm while Pete and Dave rowed toward shore as fast as they could Halfway to the Hollisters dock a canoe with two boys glided past them In it were Joey Brill and Will Wilson We saw that boat too cried Joey He was a heavy set boy about Pete’s age whose chief delight was bullying younger children His dark-haired companion liked to do just what Joey did 9
Give me a hand Dave 10
We can claim it for our own Will said as he dug his paddle into the water You’ll do nothing of the sort Pam exclaimed The boat belongs to this poor man He’s hurt Ignoring Pam’s good deed Joey made a face at her and paddled toward the spot where the craft had sunk When the rowboat reached the dock Mrs Hollister and the other three children were waiting Their mother was a pretty slender woman with blond hair Her face usually smiling was full of anxiety as she helped Pete and Dave lift the injured man onto the dock Let’s put him in this lawn chair Mrs Hollister directed the two boys I’ve already telephoned to Officer Cal Ricky said He’s bringing the Emergency Squad No sooner had he spoken than the wailing siren could be heard far down the road The emergency truck roared into the Hollisters driveway halted and three men ran to the dock One of them was Cal Newberry a pleasant-faced young officer who had worked with the Hollister children on some of the mysteries they had solved The first-aid men examined the dripping-wet boatman No broken bones Officer Cal said smiling The man’s eyes opened again and he looked about bewildered Where am I You’re all right Officer Cal assured him What is your name Charlie Tiger Tail the man said sitting up and rubbing his head I had an accident 11
