CHAPTER XXV

CAPTURED

Hampered by their shoes and clothing the boys could not make much headway in the water. Fenn, who was not a very good swimmer, was the last to strike out. Bart caught a glimpse of him, and saw the bag settling down over his chum.

He turned and grabbed Fenn by the shoulder, pulling him out of the way just as the silken folds settled down on top of the water.

"What's the matter? What has happened?" cried a voice through the darkness, and the boys saw lights from a boat flashing in their faces. Then they noticed a big barge looming up, and struck out for it.

"Throw us a line!" called Bart.

Aboard the boat men were running to and fro and calling to one another. More lights flashed out and several figures appeared at the sides. Then ropes splashed into the water.

Bart and Fenn each grabbed one and began to pull themselves aboard. Ned and Frank were on the other side of the barge. There also, men had cast cables into the river and their splash told the swimming boys there was help at hand. They grabbed the lines, and soon all four were standing on the deck of the craft.

"Well, where did you all come from?" asked a hearty voice and a big man, his face almost concealed by a beard, that covered everything except his eyes, strode forward.

"From the balloon," replied Ned.

"So that's what that big thing was that flopped down here, eh?" asked the man. "Well, you had quite a time of it. Who are you, anyhow, airship men?"

Ned told their names, and related how the balloon had broken away, taking them with it.

"I guess it's valuable," he added. "Maybe if you took it aboard you could get a reward."

"We've got something else to do besides saving balloons," the bearded man replied. "Delayed our trip as it was, pulling you chaps from the water, but I don't mind that. Let 'em send for their old gas bag if they want it. Guess it won't run away."

"Are you the captain of this boat?" asked Bart, taking off his coat and wringing some of the water out of it.

"That's what I am, Captain Needham, of the steam barge _Comet_. At present under sealed orders," and he laughed.

"Where are we?" asked Frank.

"On the Still river, just above Dunkirk," replied the captain.

"How far is that from Darewell?" inquired Bart.

"Are you from Darewell?" asked Captain Needham quickly, and he looked sharply at the boys who stood in a circle of light cast by several lanterns.

"Yes. That's where we live," replied Bart.

"Well, you're about fifty miles from home."

"Which way are you going?" asked Frank, as the barge was anchored then, and the boys had not had time to notice in which direction she was headed.

"We're going up the river."

"Then I guess we'd better go ashore," remarked Ned. "We don't want to get any further away from home. We must send word to our folks that we're safe."

"Of course," spoke the captain. "It's going to be a little difficult though. There's no telephone in Dunkirk, and you'll have to tramp five miles to send a message. You'd better stay aboard until we get to Flanders, that's the next town above. We'll be there by morning, and you can wire from there."

"I think we'd better go ashore now and take our chances at getting a message through to-night," Frank said. "Maybe we can hire a carriage in Dunkirk."

"Well now, I hate to interfere with your plans," the captain said, "but I'm behindhand now, and I can't stop to put you ashore. You'll have to wait until morning."

"One of us could swim ashore and send a message," put in Ned. "We really ought to send one."

"Well, go below to the engine room and get dried out first," the captain advised. "The river is full of rocks here and it's a bad place to swim. The banks are a mass of muck, like quick-sand, dangerous to venture into. You get your clothes off and we'll soon have 'em dry. By that time we'll be in a better place for swimming. Besides you must be hungry. We're under way again."

As he spoke there was a throbbing to the barge that told the boys the engine had been started. The anchor was hauled up and the boat again started up the river. It was too dark to see more than the dim outline of the big gas bag as it rested partly on shore and partly in the water.

"Yes, I guess drying-out wouldn't hurt us," Frank said. "But after that we must get word to the folks if we have to walk ten miles."

"That's right," agreed his chums.

"Suit yourselves," the captain said. "Now come on with me and I'll fix you up."

He led the way to the engine room, and turned the boys over to one of the deck hands. The latter collected from the men some old garments the boys could don while their own were drying. Their change consisted of nothing but a jumper and a pair of overalls each, but it was warm in the engine room and they did not mind. Their soaking clothing and shoes were soon in the process of steaming dry on hot pipes.

"'All's well that ends well'" quoted Frank. "We certainly did have a strenuous time of it for a while though."

"Wonder where this barge is going to?" said Ned. "It's a bigger one than I ever saw on the river before. It's got a lot of machinery aboard, too."

"That doesn't interest me so much as the question of when they have supper," came from Bart. "I'm getting warm and dry and I begin to feel my appetite coming back."

They were close to the big boiler where it was warm enough to almost bake bread. As they were huddled there, getting the river chill out of them, they heard somebody approaching down the passage that led to the engine room.

"Hope it's someone to say supper is ready," spoke Fenn.

"Captain Needham says you are to--" a voice began and then it suddenly stopped. The chums looked up and saw, in the glare from a lantern, a youth staring at them.

"Sandy Merton!" exclaimed Ned.

At this the other boys pressed forward to get a look at the lad who had acted so strangely of late. But Sandy did not give them a chance. He turned and fairly ran from the engine room.

"Well of all the odd places we come across that chap this is the queerest," spoke Ned. "What in the world can he be doing here?"

"Just what I was going to ask," Bart said. "It looks funny. We must ask Captain Needham."

"Ah, boys, getting warmed through?" asked a voice, and Captain Needham appeared a little later. "Well, you look pretty comfortable. Guess you're ready for supper."

"You're a good guesser, sir," said Fenn with a laugh.

"Right this way then," the captain went on quickly, opening a small door which led from the engine room. "I'll have something sent in here. There's a table and some chairs. It's warm and you can dress in there when your clothes are dry."

The boys went into the apartment he indicated. It was lighted by a small hanging lamp. They sat down to the table, presenting a queer sight in the overalls and jumpers several sizes too large for them. In a little while a man came in with a big tray on which were plates of beef-stew, cups of coffee and plenty of bread and butter.

"Sort of a pick-up meal," Captain Needham said, as he looked in on them a little later, when they were in the midst of it. "Best we could do in a hurry. We don't often have people drop in on us out of a balloon for supper," and he laughed.

"Say, captain," began Ned. "Is that boy--"

"I'll be back in a little while," called the captain, as he closed the door, leaving the chums alone.

"I was going to ask him about Sandy," added Ned.

"It'll keep," remarked Bart.

The boys finished their meal and felt better.

"I'd like to get into my clothes," remarked Fenn. "I want to see about sending a message home. We must be out of the dangerous part of the river now."

"Open the door and we'll go back to the engine room and see if they aren't dry," suggested Frank.

Bart, who was nearest, turned the knob. The door did not open.

"Stuck, I guess," he said, and gave it a yank. It moved a bit, but only enough to show that it was fastened in some way.

"Locked!" exclaimed Ned. "They've locked us in!"