“It’s a mighty lucky thing that we were here to aid him,” remarked Sam, as he and Tom proceeded with their efforts.  “Another minute, and it would have been all up with this poor fellow.”

“Well, he isn’t out of the woods yet, Sam, but I think he is coming around.”  And even as Tom spoke the stranger gave a gasp and a groan, and tried to sit up.

“It’s all right, my friend,” cried Sam, reassuringly.  “We’ve got you, you are safe.”

“Oh, oh!” moaned the young man who had been so close to drowning.  And then as he sat up and stared at the brothers, he added:  “Did—­ did you sa—­ save me?”

“Well, we hauled you out of the river,” replied Tom, simply.

“You did!” The young man shivered as he glanced at the swiftly-flowing stream.  “The bridge—­ it was broken, but I didn’t notice it in time.”

“We tried to warn you,” said Sam, “but you were coming too fast.”

“I know it, but I—­ I——­” And then the young man, having tried to get to his feet, suddenly collapsed and became unconscious again.

“Phew!” came from Sam in surprise.  “He must be worse off than we thought.”

“Perhaps he got struck when he went down,” suggested Tom.  “See here, there is blood on his hand; it is running down his sleeve!”

“Maybe his arm is broken, Tom.  I guess the best thing we can do is to get him to some doctor.”

“Why not take him right down to Ashton to Doctor Havens?”

“Good idea; we’ll do it.”

Tom again took up the unconscious young man, and, with Sam leading the way, both hurried to their automobile.  The stranger was deposited on the seat of the tonneau, and then Tom lost no time in turning the machine around and heading for town.

“I wonder who he can be?” remarked Sam, as they sped along.

“I’m sure I don’t know,” was Tom’s reply.  Neither of the boys dreamed of the surprise in store for them.

CHAPTER III

 Something of A surprise

It did not take the Rover boys long to reach Ashton; and once in town, they lost no time in running their auto to where Doctor Havens resided.  They found the house well lit up, and the old doctor in his study, poring over some medical works.

“Saved a fellow from drowning, eh?” he queried, after the lads had explained matters.  “Got him out in your auto?  All right, bring him right in if you want to—­ or wait, I’ll go out and take a look at him.  Maybe I know who he is and where he belongs.”  And thus speaking, the doctor went outside.

Sam still had the searchlight in hand, and as the physician approached the automobile, the lad flashed the rays on the face of the stranger, who was still unconscious.

“Why, I’ve seen that young chap before!” exclaimed Doctor Havens.  “He is stopping at the hotel.  I saw him there only this afternoon.”