The Hunters of the Ozark

  CHAPTER IX.

  A MISHAP.

  Fred Linden and Terry Clark were alarmed when, on their way home, theycame to the creek across which they had paddled only a short timebefore. It was then the comparatively shallow stream that was scarcelyan obstacle in their path; now it was a rushing torrent, whose volumewas increasing with great rapidity. The sinuosities of the creek hadcaused it to gather in a large part of the rain that had fallen somemiles away, and its usual boundaries were overflowed.

  It was well that Fred had tied his canoe to the tree that was quite adistance from the stream, for had he not done so it would have beenswept away like an egg shell. As it was, the water had reached the baseof the tree, while the boat was bobbing up and down almost in a straightline with the course of the creek, as though it was tugging to getloose.

  "My gracious, Terry!" said Fred, "this is a little worse than Iexpected; it is going to be hard work to get across."

  "Ye are right for once," added the other, gravely shaking his head;"them rapids are a little closer than I loike."

  "It seems to me," added Fred, who was unwilling to admit that he wasafraid to try the task, "that I have gone over the creek when it wasjust as high and rapid, and have crossed at this place, too."

  "Who swung the paddle?"

  "Father did once and Mr. Bowlby at another time."

  "Did ye iver manage the paddle yersilf when the creek got onto one ofits tears?"

  "I don't remember that I have, but that has been only because the needdid not arise; I am not afraid to try it, even if you are."

  "Who said I was afraid?" demanded Terry; "I'm riddy to hop into the boatand sway the paddle mesilf, and I'll do it, too."

  He stepped into the water, which was up to his shoe tops, and begandrawing in the rawhide rope which held the frail boat from breakingaway. His companion laughed and said nothing until the canoe was attheir feet and drawn up on the land away from the rushing current.

  "Don't be quite so touchy, Terry; that boat belongs to me and I canhandle the paddle better than you; anyway I shall try to take us to theother side, and all that you have to do is to keep those limbs and treesfrom capsizing us."

  The time occupied in pulling the boat to the spot had given the Irishlad a chance to regain his usual good nature, and he made no protestagainst the decision of his companion, though Terry was no unskillfulhandler of the paddle himself.

  The creek was probably over a hundred feet wide, and the roiled currentabounded with limbs and trees that swung up and down, sometimes out ofsight and then popping up again, as though they were frolicking in theswift waters. It would require a strong arm and a cool head to force thebirchen craft through these obstacles to the shore on the other side.It must be admitted, too, that it was a piece of imprudence on the partof the lads, who would have been wiser had they quietly waited wherethey were until the overflow exhausted itself. A stream that rises sofast subsides with the same quickness, and long before nightfall thecreek would shrink to proportions that would take away all peril to anyone in paddling across.

  They would have been compelled to go a long distance up stream beforefinding a place where the crossing was easier, and it would have beenalmost impossible to drag the canoe thither. They would have held fastto one end of the rope and allowed it to dance through the rapids, so asto allow them to make the passage below, where the great peril wasremoved, had they not known that the chances were ten to one that itwould be snatched from their grasp, thus shutting them out altogether.

  Looking up and across the sloping clearing, the cabins forming thesettlement of Greville could be seen at no great distance. From severalof the stone chimneys the smoke was curling lazily upward, and now andthen glimpses could be caught of persons moving hither and thither, butno one appeared to be looking in the direction of the creek, or if anyone was doing so, he saw nothing of the two boys standing on the furthershore and debating with themselves the best course to follow. At anyrate no one would think they were unable to take care of themselves.

  Both Fred and Terry knew that there was but one prudent plan to follow;that was quietly to wait where they were until near night, by which timeall danger would be gone. But neither proposed the course nor mademention of it. It is natural for youth to be rash, and there was asemblance of timidity in such a shrinking back that was repellent toAmerican and Irish lad alike. And so you will understand how it was thateach showed an eagerness to enter into the contest with the angrycurrent.

  You will see, too, how foolish they were, when I tell you that duringthe few minutes they stood by the tree to which the rope had been tieddiscussing the situation, they saw the proof that the creek wassubsiding. There was a perceptible lowering of the surface, as was shownby the soiled line against the trunk of the tree. Even Terry, when helooked down, observed that he was not standing in quite as deep water ashe was a few minutes before. No danger, however, of his making mentionof it.

  It took but a minute or so to untie the long thong that was wrappedabout the limb, and then, as Fred was on the point of flinging the coilinto the bottom of the boat, the end of which was drawn up on the bank,and to take up the paddle and push off, Terry, with some excitement,caught his arm and said:

  "Plase wait a minute, will ye?"

  "What for?"

  "I'll not be gone long; howld the boat only for a twinkling."

  He ran a dozen steps or so from shore to where was the stump of a treethat had probably been splintered by a thunder-bolt, and around whichsprouted a number of bushes that were dense enough to hide a largeobject within. Carefully parting these, Terry laid down his rifle andthe bell, and then as carefully smoothed the undergrowth in place. Thenhe hurried back.

  "There are plinty of lads about me own size," said he, "but there's onlyone gun that belongs to me, and if the canoe should upsit and both of usget drowned I want to be sure and save me gun."

  Fred smiled at this Irish-like explanation, but he was glad that Terryhad left the gun on shore. It was safely hidden until he should wish toget it again, while its presence in the canoe would be the worst kind ofencumbrance. The new owner was so charmed with his prize that he wouldthink more of saving that than of saving the boat. It was clear that thetask of Terry in fighting off the rushing timber would be almost asdifficult as that of guiding it across the swift stream.

  "In with you!" said Fred to Terry, who carefully seated himself near thebow of the canoe and took up the long pole that lay in the bottom andprojected some distance over the end of the boat. Fred Linden gave it avigorous shove, landed in the stern, caught up the paddle, andinstantly began his struggle.

  You will see the difficulty and danger of his task, and must thereforejoin with me in condemning the lack of judgment showed by both. They hadto paddle more than a hundred feet across a furious torrent in whichwere scores of uprooted trees, wrenched-off limbs, and craggy stumps,all speeding downward with great swiftness and force. The course of theboat being at right angles to these objects, must bring it in collisionwith some of them, at the great risk of overturning or shattering thecanoe, that was not calculated to withstand any such blows.

  And yet, though the task was a hard one, there was little doubt that thetwo lads could make their way across, provided they were given enoughtime in which to do so; but there were the rapids, so near that theirroar was plainly heard. In case of an overturn or accident, the twowould be swept among them. It was the same, on a smaller scale, as if aperson should start to row across Niagara River, just above the falls,where by vigorous work he could make the passage, provided he did notdrop a stroke on the way. You will say that any one making such anattempt placed little value on his own life.

  Fred Linden used his paddle after the manner of an Indian--that is, hedipped the broad end first on one side of the boat and then on theother. The paddle was not widened at each end, as is sometimes the case,the one who wields it using the sides alternately and with greatrapidity. In calm water such a light structure as an Indian canoe can bedriven with great
speed, and I have no doubt that the youths would havemade a speedy passage had it not been for the interference of thefloating objects to which I have referred.

  Ten feet from land Fred was forced to back water suddenly to avoid ajagged stump that danced in front like a bull getting ready to charge,and finally did strike the bow with a thump that startled both theoccupants.

  "Me pole slipped off the side of that," Terry explained, as hebrandished the stick in front on the lookout for the threateningwaste-wood; "have a care that ye don't drive the boat agin somethingthat is stronger than the boat itsilf."

  By coolness, alertness and strength, Fred fought his way in safety untilprobably one-third of the distance was passed. Then he saw the greatblunder he had made in trying to cross while the current was so high.The constant fighting with the floating stumps and trees caused them tolose so much ground--or rather water--that they were driftingfrightfully close to the rapids, whose roar grew plainer every moment.But he had gone so far that it was as safe to keep on as to turn back,and so he dipped the paddle and swung it with renewed vigor.

  "Look out!" he called to Terry, who in parrying the rush of a stump acouple of yards in advance, did not notice one that was coming broadsideon, its presence betrayed by a tiny branch that protruded a few inchesabove the surface like the fin of a shark. Fred did his utmost to avoidit, but he was too slow, and a second later the pointed log not onlystruck the side of the canoe, but capsized it.