Five minutes later he was in his own room awaiting developments.
They were not long in coming.
A murmur of voices ended in a wild shriek of terror.
"A snake!" yelled Hoke. "It"s in my bed! Save me! I"m a dead boy!"
His cry aroused everyone, and soon Nautical Hall was in a commotion.
"What"s the matter with Hoke?"
"He"s got "em bad!"
"A snake!" roared the bully. "Take it away."
He ran out into the corridor, and soon a crowd began to collect.
In the meantime Mont slipped into the room and threw the dead reptile out of the window.
Captain Hooper tried to get at the bottom of the affair, but failed.
"You must have been dreaming, Ummer," he said at last, and sent all of the boys off to bed.
During the following week Nautical Hall was closed up, and the schoolboy cadets marched to the head of the bay.
Here they went into camp for a month, part of the time being spent on the bay and the ocean beyond in learning how to sail both large and small boats.
The sailing of the boats particularly interested Mont and Carl Barnaby.
Link did not care very much for the water, for when the sea was rough he was inclined to grow seasick.
One day Mont and Carl obtained permission to hire a sloop at the town, and go out for an all-day cruise over the bay and back.
They took with them a young fellow from Nautical Hall named John Stumpton, a handy lad who generally went by the name of Stump. Since Mont had arrived at the Hall, Stump had taken to him greatly, and would do almost anything that Mont asked of him. Stump was also a great friend to Carl.
They sailed out of sight of the camp, and gradually crept up to a large excursion boat which was just leaving one of the docks of the town.
The steamboat was overcrowded, every deck being full of humanity bent on having a good time.
Some musicians were playing on the forward deck, and they drew quite close to hear what was going on.
Suddenly a cry of horror arose.
A young girl had been standing close to the rail on a camp chair at the bow of the boat.
It was Alice Moore.
As the steamboat swung around the girl lost her balance.
She tried to save herself, and, failing, pitched headlong into the water.
Our hero saw her go under the waves.
"She"ll be struck by the paddle wheel," he yelled, and then, splash! he was overboard himself.
Bravely he struck out to save the maiden.
The order was given to back the steamboat.
The wheels churned up the water into a white foam, but still the momentum carried the large craft on.
In the meantime our hero came up and struck out valiantly for the girl, who was now going down for a second time.
"Save her! Save her!" shrieked Judge Moore, who was with his daughter.
Half a dozen life-preservers were thrown overboard, but none came to where the girl could reach them.
The judge wanted to join his daughter in the water.
Strong hands held him back.
"The young fellow will save her, judge."
"He"s a true hero!"
Life-lines were thrown over, but even these did no good.
The steamboat swung around, but the run of the water washed the girl closer and closer to the paddle wheel.
She now came up a second time.
Should she sink again all would be over.
Mont was swimming with all the strength and skill at his command.
At last he was within a yard of the struggling girl.
The maiden threw up her hands and went under. As quick as a flash our hero dove down.
A second pa.s.sed. Then up came our hero with the girl clinging to his shoulder.
But now the current was apparently too strong for both of them.
"Help us--quick!"
Carl and Stump heard the cry, and immediately put about in their sloop.
Mont was swimming along on his side.