The Pioneer Boys on the Mississippi

h came, that the dugout was about to sink, for water began to pour in over the side. So he obey

SAFETY OF THE LOG THA

done so, and looked around, it was to discover Bob sitting astride the rolling log,

are you all right?"

r boy, noticing, however, that their strange craft began to r

use it had taken both of the boys many a long month's work with their first traps, away off in Virginia, to gather together enough money to purchase the fl

ide in his voice; for to have managed to get aboard that rolling log in su

a long-drawn sigh; since he had been terribly alarmed f

xciting time," admitte

to be thankful f

ean?" observed Sandy, not without

"I've heard father declare that a sailor is thankful for any port in a storm; and, only for this

safe and sound in our dugout, and paddling as nice as anything for the bank. As it is, we've lost our boat, paddle

ome of the settlers will hear us, if they are down near th

me back no answering, reassuring shout. Only the murmur of the flood could be heard,

as if by mutual conse

h marked the connecting link between themselves and their home, though it could only be

must be up and doing, if they hoped to cope with the new and strange

ething to get ashore,

ince we have no paddles, and this log chooses to remain out here in

difficulty; not that he did not possess a bright mind himself, but when it came to qu

to make the shore; but the water is very cold, and there would be danger of a cramp catching one of us. For that r

with this cold wind, and the rain that promises to fall. Besides, when the dawn bre

e water in that way, how could we hold on to them? So here's what I was thinking. Let us fasten the guns, and our clothes, as far as we can, to t

oke out

ashore, think how cold we should be, and likely to starve to death.

," the other went on, steadily, for he was quite used to h

tied our guns, and part of our clothes, to the log, what do we expect to do th

er, and, one on either side of the log, start steering it

always enthusiastic, once he di

we can, by slow stages, push the log ashore. Even if it is miles below the settlement, we will have our clothe

ables, consisting of his precious musket, powder horn, bullet pouch, tinder bag, and last, if not least of all, his clothes, which the loving fingers of t

how reasonable this sounded, "I th

boat than the one we owned; and, with night at hand, and the sky as black as it is now, the women would not have let the men venture out upon the water.

ans of riding the flood in safety. When he had received the several buckskin thongs which his brother passed over to him, the task of

uiet, for he was always either seeking information from another,

orked, he must n

d?" was what he first of all asked his brother, just as though

landing. This flood must be going anywhere from six to seven miles an hour; and,

y, for their trapping and hunting had all been done within the immediate vicinit

e when their father had gone in Virginia on urgent business, had been carried off by a young chief of the

of the distance," declared Bob. "How is your gun fixed now; are you sure

ob. Once we are in the water, and swimming, we can urge the log toward the shore, a foot at a time, it may be, but with a constant pressure, un

t should hinder us from making camp in the forest, under some ledge, where we can keep out of

that, Bob," declared the younger of the two.

You must remember what father told you once, that every tub ought to stand on its own bottom. But Simon Kenton tells me he was just such a youngster, u

which, having been the means of their disaster, now seemed willing to make reparation as best it coul

g water on either side of them. Ahead, a similar unending panorama opened up, and, had they chosen to tu

I'll make up into a bundle, and fasten with this last long thong. But, Bob, before we do that, and go overboard, it seems t

," echoed Bob. "So, ready now, and s

e they gave tongue, and then, pausing, listened to see if by chance there came

one certainly answered us; unless it was

and louder than before. There is hope of a rescue

were sweeping down toward the spot where the unknown must be sitting

of assistance coming to them before, and, now that this sud

sound of paddles,

he other, and Sandy was surprised to note a lack of the

seem to be happy. Is there anything wrong, do you think, about that answer to our shouts? Surely it c

s us that others are on the flood as well as ourselves. But I have never heard a white m

e been seen just then, it would be found to have taken on a sud

dia