"That's a call for assistance, that's certain," said Dick.
"Oh, I hope the girls are safe!" murmured his youngest brother.
"She's on fire, that's what's the matter!" exclaimed Tom. "See the smoke coming from the cabin!"
"Fire! fire! fire!" was the cry taken up on all sides. "The steamer is on fire!"
"Why don't they run to the dock?" asked one of the students.
"Can't—it isn't deep enough," was the reply. "They are going to dredge out the channel this summer."
"They are turning towards shore!" came, a second later, and then it could be seen that the Thistle had turned partly around. But the next instant the vessel ran into a mud shoal and there she stuck.
"Come on, let us get out and help those who are on board!" cried Dick, and started on a run for the college boathouse, located two hundred yards further up the shore.
The alarm was now general, and fully two score of students and several of the faculty, as well as some workmen, were running for the boathouse, to get out the rowboats and other craft usually housed there.
