Raftmates

ted, he ate heartily of the supper so thoughtfully provided by the dear girl, and his heart grew very tender as he thought of her and of her unwearying lov

room, and was quickly buried in the heart of an African forest. Completely lost to his surroundings, and absorbed in tales of the wild beasts an

id. "How the wind howls, too! It sounds as if we were going to have a storm. I only hope it wi

from her that evening. "It is too late now, though," he said to himself. "She must have gone to bed lo

f his lamp, and tumbled into his bunk, where in anoth

raging for hours about the head-waters of the creek, and the deluge of rain by which it was accompanied was sweeping steadily down-stream towards the great river. Even as Winn

urney was at hand. He had no anxiety for the safety of the raft, for he remembered the stout cable by which he had secured it, and congratulated himself upon the precaution thus taken. "Besides, Winn is abo

ad heretofore been able to see one corner of the raft; but now, peering out through the driving rain that caused the forest depths to appear blue and dim, she could not discover it.

all right," thought the girl, greatly relieved at this discovery.

appeared, evidently pre

ome at last, and the time of our departure is at ha

u, papa? I should dearl

d the Major. "I suppose you mi

th the storm, and of surprising Winn on the raft. Three minutes later she reappeared, clad in rubber boots a

wn and gleefully rendered it useless by turning it inside out. Casting the umbrella aside, the Major clasped Elta's hand firmly in his. Th

e tree to which it had been so securely moored; but the raft that had grown into being and become a familiar sight at that point no longer occupied it, nor was it anywhere to

one!" exclaimed Elta

y, the raft has gon

ream, it must have gone towards the Mississippi. I only hope that Winn managed in some way to

a mile of its course, and somewhere along this stretch of water they hoped to see the raft safely moored. They were, however, doomed to disappointment; for a

, had already discovered that it was gone. Now they were gathered at the

band and daughter at the open door, where

What has become of the raft? Do you t

ose to go down to the mouth of the creek at once and discover them. That is, just as soon as you can give me a cup of coffee and a bite of breakfast, f

f hopeful cheerfulness. It was only after the meal had been hastily eaten, and the Major with his stalwart Swedes had departed, that a reaction came, and the anxious fears reasserted themselves. For hours they could do nothing but discuss the situation, and watch for

amazement with which she beheld her mother clasped in the arms of a strange young man who was so bespattered with mud that his features were hardly recognizable. Mrs. Caspar was laughing and crying at the s

strange scene. Then her mother caught sight of the girl's wide-eyed bew

ittle brother Billy, whom I haven't seen for twelve years, and he has just come fro

bespattered young man, who gravely announc

aspar; "and I'm sure I should never have recognized you but for your voice.

h my face? Is it dirty

aspar led him in

ughed. "I believe I look about as bad as Binney Gibbs[1] did when he covered hims

bs?" asked both Mr

went across the plains with me a year ago. By-the-way, whe

d son, all her anxieties returned, so that before she finish

other young fellow who went campmates with me on the plains, Glen Matherson-no, Eddy. No; come to think of it, his name is Elting. Well, any way, he had jus

g uncle was rather inclined to disparage her own dear brother. "Yes, he certainly had names to spare; but if he

eagerly; "but I tell you he was- Why,

ta, joyfully, running to thro

mates, by th