Read "Roy Blakeley's Roundabout Hike" by Percy Keese Fitzhugh online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
The next thing I knew Dub threw off his coat and just ripped his shoe-laces open and tore his shoes off. He didn't wear sneaks like all the Scouts at camp, but regular shoes. It always made him look kind of funny. I didn't have a chance to do anything -- before I knew it he was in the water, swimming. He never went in much at camp, he just liked to hike around with us, so I never thought about how he could swim. But, oh boy, did he get through the water! I knew maybe it was his chance for the Gold Medal and I was glad. All I can say is, if that's how a fellow swims that lives over a bakery store, I wouldn't want to go into a race with one that lives over a delicatessen store -- he might be even better. I guess Dub was born in a fish market.
He could tell where the trouble was because by that time the splashing was good and loud and the voice kept calling help. I thought it was funny because all the Scouts know how to swim. Maybe it was some crazy tenderfoot, that's what I thought. I said to myself, "I hope he knows how to grab him. " Pretty soon I heard him speak -- I mean Dub -- and I heard the other voice, too. Dub called out, "All right."