"We've lost our guns
by the operation."
"I am afraid so; but we will, at least, make an attempt to recover
them."
"How will we go to work?"
"We will dive for them."
Archie shrugged his shoulders, but made no reply.
Frank's first care was to bandage Brave's neck with his handkerchief.
He then divested himself of his clothes, and, after wringing the water
out of them, he spread them out in the bow of the boat to dry.
"I don't much like the idea of going down in there," said Archie,
looking dubiously at the dark, muddy water; "there may be snakes in
it, or it may be full of logs, or the bottom may be covered with weeds
that will catch hold of a fellow's leg and keep him down."
"I can't help it," said Frank; "we must have the guns; I'd rather risk
any thing than lose them. The only thing I am afraid of is that the
water is too deep. I'll be a little careful at first"
So saying, he lowered himself over the side of the boat, and, drawing
in a long breath, sank slowly out of sight.
Meanwhile Archie was pulling off his clothes, and, when his cousin
appeared, he exclaimed,
"How do things look down there? Rather muddy, isn't it?"
"Yes," answered Frank, as he wiped the water from his face, "but the
bottom is all clear, and the water is only about fifteen feet deep.
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