ss dar, no how?"

This glorious news for the Crooked Creek Telegraph Company was, indeed,
true! There had been wet weather for several days, and although the
rain-fall had not been great in the level country about Akeville, it had
been very heavy up among the hills; and the consequence was, that the
swollen hill-streams, or "branches" as they are called in that part of
the country, had rushed down and made Crooked Creek rise in a hurry. It
seemed to be always ready to rise in this way, whenever it had a chance.

Now the company could go to work! Now it could show the world, or as
much of the world as chose to take notice, the advantages of having a
telegraph line across a creek in time of freshets.

Harry was all alive with excitement. He sent for Harvey Davis, and had
old Selim saddled as quickly as possible.

"H'yar's de letters and telegrums, Mah'sr Harry," said Miles, unlocking
his saddle-bags and taking out a bundle of letters and some telegrams,
written on the regular telegraphic blanks and tied up in a little
package.

As the mail was a private one, and old Miles was known to be perfectly
honest, he carried the key and attended personally to the locking and
unlocking of his saddle-bags.

"But I don't want the letters, Miles," said Harry. "I've nothing to do
with them. Give me the telegrams, and I'll send them across."

"Don't want de letters?" cried Miles, his eyes and mouth wide open in
astonishment. "Why, I can't carry de letters ober no mor'n I kin de
telegrams."

"Well, neither can I," said Harry.

"Den what's de use ob dat wire?" exclaimed Miles. "I thought you uns ud
send de letters an' all ober dat wire? Dere's lots more letters dan
telegrums."

"I know that," said Harry, hurriedly; "but we can't send letters. Give
the telegraphic messages, and you go back to the mines with the letters,
and if there's anything in them that they want to telegraph, let them
write out the messages, and you bring them over to Lewston's cabin."

Harry took the telegrams, and old Miles rode off, very much disturbed in
his mind. His confidence in the utility of the telegraph company was
wofully shaken.

By this time Harvey had arrived on a mule, and the two operators dashed
away as fast as their animals would carry them.

As they galloped along Harry shouted to Harvey, who kept ahead most of
the time, for his mule was faster than Selim:

"Hello, Harvey! If Miles couldn't get across, how can either of us go
over?