CHAPTER X
"ALL ABOARD!"
"Where away?" cried Steve, with his customary impetuousness.
"Don't you dare fool us, Toby Jucklin!" exclaimed Bandy-legs,menacingly; for if the truth be told, he felt a twinge of envy becauseit had not been his sharp eyesight that had first detected the comingof a rescue party.
Max noticed just where Toby was pointing, and without wasting hisbreath in asking useless questions he applied himself to the task ofascertaining just how much truth there might be in the assertion.
Sure enough, he did manage to discover something that had theappearance of a boat; but as it rose and fell with the waves, nowvanishing altogether from his sight, and then again being plainly seen,Max made it out to be a rowboat. There were no oars working in thesunlight, nor could he discover the first sign of life about thebobbing craft that was coming down on the flood.
"It is a boat, all right!" admitted Steve, presently, while all of themcontinued to stare eagerly at the advancing object; "but a derelict youmight say, because there's not a sign of anybody aboard. And from theway she rolls so logy, I bet you she's half full of water right now."
The girls began to utter little plaintive exclamations.
"But notice that she floats all right, Steve," Max hastened to tellhim; "and we'll soon find a way to empty that water out, if only we'relucky enough to lay our hands on that craft."
"But d'ye think it'll come this way?" asked Bandy-legs; "because I'mready to swim out after it if there's any chance of the bloomin' oldtub giving our crowd the go-by."
"We've _got_ to get it, that's all," said Max, firmly; "I'd go after itmyself if I thought it would miss hitting the house here. But let'swatch, and see how that comes out. And, Bandy-legs, slip that noose atthe end of the balance of the rope under your arms. If you do have toswim out to waylay the boat, we can pull you back again whether you getaboard or not."
"Now, that's a good idea, Max," Steve admitted. "It sure takes you tothink up the right thing at the right time and place. I don't reckonthere'll be such good luck as to be oars aboard a runaway boat; buteven then it's going to be better for the girls than a floating door."
"Oh! I do hope you can get it then!" declared Bessie; and Stevehearing her say this felt as though he ought to be the one to have thatnoose fastened under his arms, rather than Bandy-legs, who could notswim quite as good.
There was intense excitement on the roof of the imperiled farm-houseabout that time. Every one of them seemed to be watching the coming ofthat bobbing object as though the fate of the world depended on itstaking a direct course for the building standing alone in the flood.
"Seems like she was coming right along over the same course we did; howabout that, Max?" called out Steve, presently, as the boat drewsteadily closer to the fugitives of the wash-out.
"Yes, as nearly as I can decide that's what she's doing, Steve," Maxreplied.
"Oh! let's hope so," Mazie remarked, with a tremor in her voice, thattold of quivering lips, and rapidly beating heart.
"Looky there!" burst out Bandy-legs just then; "if she ain't takin' ashoot this way even while we're sitting here wishing for the same tohappen. I tell you she's going to hit the house ker-flop, too. Noneed of anybody jumpin' over and swimmin' out to her. But I'll leavethe rope where it is, because I'll be in condition to roll off theroof, and grab her before she c'n slide past."
Nearer and nearer came the boat. It was easy to see that the craft waspartly waterlogged, though still having her gunnels a considerabledistance above the water. Either the boat leaked terribly, or elsethis water had splashed in from time to time as rougher places wereencountered.
"Ready, Bandy-legs!" cried Max.
"Watch your eyes, old fellow!" warned Steve.
"And d-d-don't you l-l-let her g-g-get away on your l-l-life!" addedToby, who was greatly aroused, and had been edging down toward thegutter for several minutes now, evidently bound to be ready to lend ahelping hand, if the other chum needed it.
It really seemed as though some unseen hand might be guiding that halfswamped rowboat, in the interest of those who were so greatly in needof assistance; for it came heading in toward the house, urged on by thegrip of the changing current, and finally actually bumped confidinglyagainst the wall below the edge of the roof.
Bandy-legs was on the alert. He dropped over instantly, and they heardhim utter a whoop of delight as he found himself actually in possessionof a boat.
His first act was to slip the noose from under his arms, and his nextto secure that end of the rope to the bow of the boat. Then he startedin to make the water fly like everything, using his hat as a bailingbucket.
When he had to rest for a minute Bandy-legs stood up so that his headand shoulders came above the gutter of the roof, and grinned at therest.
"How does she seem to be, Bandy-legs?" asked Steve.
"Course I can't just say for certain yet," came the reply; "but lookslike our boat might be watertight, and that the waves have beensplashing aboard all the time she's been adrift. Wait till I get therest of the stuff out, and then I'll know for sure."
"How about oars?" asked Max.
"Ain't nary a sign of the same around, and I'm afraid they must a beenwashed overboard when--but hold on there, what's this I'm knockingagainst every time I dip deep? Say, here's luck in great big gobs,fellers; it's an oar stuck under the thwarts, as sure as you live!What, two of the same, seems like! Well, well, what do you know aboutthat? Couldn't have asked for anything better, could we? Oh! don't Iwish I had all this water out, though."
He had hardly spoken when some one else dropped into the boat, andstarted to hurling the water in great quantities over the side. It wasShack Beggs, and he had a tin basin in his hands. Max rememberedhaving seen it floating around in the interior of the house, along withmany other things; but at the time, as none of them wanted to take awash, he had not bothered securing it. Shack must have remembered thebasin, and realizing how well it might be utilized now as a bailingbucket, he had slipped through the scuttle and secured it.
The water began to go down rapidly under their united efforts; though alittle kept coming in over the exposed side of the boat, as it rubbedagainst the wall of the farm-house.
Seeing this Max managed to help the other boys shift the location oftheir valued prize, and presently it was dangling alongside the threefloating doors, no longer of any moment in their eyes.
"When will we go aboard?" asked Steve, as a more violent shiver passedover the doomed building than at any previous time.
"Right away," replied the other, who had felt his own heart stopbeating for a brief space of time, as he actually feared that thecatastrophe was about to overwhelm them.
"I'm willing, Max," said Mazie, trying to speak bravely.
"Then come, let me help you down; and the boys in the boat will bethere to do their part; after which we'll get the other girls aboard,"and saying this Max proceeded to give Mazie his hand, so that she mightcreep down the slope of the roof securely.
It was no easy task to manage things so that the three girls were alltaken on board without any accident; but then Shack Beggs again provedhimself invaluable, for it was his strong arms that held the boat closeto the house while the transfer was being made. Max was secretlydelighted with the way Shack was turning out. He actually believedthere would be another vacancy in the ranks of that gang of youngtoughs in Carson after this; and was determined that if any friendlyword or act of his could induce Shack to turn over a new leaf, theywould certainly not be withheld. Presently all of them had embarked.
The water by how was well out of the boat, and so far as they could seenot much more was coming in; and that could be readily handled, thanksto the possession of that dented basin which Shack had twisted into ahandy scoop.
Max had fixed the rope so that by releasing one end it would allow theboat to drop down the stream with the swift current.
Steve had one oar and Bandy-legs the other, thrust ou
t, and ready foruse.
"Well, here's where we have to say good-bye to the French farm-house,"and saying this Max let go the rope; "now, pull away, boys, and headfor the shore!"
It had already been decided which bank they must aim to reach; therewas really very little choice between them so far as nearness went; butthe boys thought it would be wiser to make for the west shore. Carsonlay on that side, and then the ground as a whole lay somewhat higher,so that once they landed they would be less liable to come acrossimpassable sloughs and lagoons formed by the back-water of the floodedriver.
Both rowers bent their backs, and the boat began to make progress.They had not been laboring in this fashion three minutes when Bessiegave utterance to a bubbling cry of anguish.
"Oh! see there what is happening to Uncle Asa's place!" she exclaimed.
The little lame girl set up a loud cry, and sobbed as though her heartwould break, because that farm-house had been her home all her life;and it was now toppling over into the river.
They could see it moving, at first slowly, then with a sudden rush. Itcareened far on one side, and then surged to the other dreadfully. Hadthey still been clinging to the ridge the chances were that they wouldhave been thrown into the water; and besides, there was always greatdanger that the house would fall to pieces before long.
"Well, we've got a whole lot to be thankful for, anyway!" Stevepresently remarked, as he patted Bessie's, hand with one of his, usingthe oar with the other meanwhile.
"I should say we had!" declared Bandy-legs; "I'd rather be here in thisbully old boat ten times over, to squattin' up on that old roof,seesawin' along every-which-way. Here, pull harder, Steve; you'relettin' her yaw around terrible. We want to head for the shore and notdown-river way."
As the two rowers continued to work regularly they kept graduallynearing the western shore of the flood. Of course this was far removedfrom what the bank must be under ordinary conditions, in places as muchas a quarter of a mile further inland. The water was sweeping throughthe lower branches of trees that all their lives had been far removedfrom the influence of the river; and there would be many changes in theaspect of things when the flood eventually subsided.
The girls sat there silent, and absorbed in watching the dizzyevolutions of the drifting farmhouse that was rapidly passing away fromthem down-stream. Of course it meant more to the lame child than anyone else, and Max could feel sorry for her. He had only to put himselfin her place, to realize the sadness that would be sure to overwhelmhim should he watch his loved home carried off, never to be seen again.
However he had many other things to think of, and could not spend anytime in crying over spilt milk. Nothing they could do would mendmatters so far as saving the French home was concerned; and they hadenough to do in looking out for their own safety.
"If you get tired, let some of the rest of us spell you, boys," Max wassaying to the pair of rowers, who had all they could do to stem thefurious current that every now and then caught them in a pocket, fromwhich they could only drag the boat by desperate labor; "I'm a goodhand with the oar, and I know Shack is a regular crackerjack at thebusiness. Just say the word when you get played out, and we'll changeplaces with you."
Shack shot him a grateful look. It seemed as though he appreciatedwhat Max had said, and which seemed to place him on the same level asthe rest of the fellows. Somehow Shack was feeling differently fromany time in the past; why, all this business of getting soaked through,and battling with the flood was in the nature of a picnic to him,accustomed to rubbing up against hard knocks as he was. And it feltpretty nice to be looked on as a "comrade" by these fellows whom he hadalways fought tooth and nail in the past; much nicer than loafing withthat old crowd once led by Ted Shatter but now under the guidance ofOssie Kemp.
They had struck another bad place in the flood, where cross currentsmade it difficult work rowing. Both boys strained themselves to theutmost to resist the grip of the stream. Once across this section, andpossibly they would have it easier all the way to the shore.
Steve was working with his accustomed fits and starts. He would allowthings to go against him, for a short interval, and then throwing onall his reserve power into the breach make his oar fairly bend with thefurious strain he put upon it.
Suddenly there was a sharp snap. One of the girls gave a cry; it wasBessie, for she had been watching Steve at the time, and saw instantlywhat had happened.
Indeed, it was manifest to every one, because Steve almost took a"crab" by falling backwards. His sudden splurge had been too much forthe strength of the oar he was handling; and it had broken in two!
The catastrophe staggered them all for the moment; because they couldreadily understand what it would mean; since with but one oar theycould hardly expect to continue rowing the boat to the shore, stillsome little distance away.