clumsy," he said, "and it would be striking on every
rock and would be terribly hard to steer."

"What's your idea?" I asked.

"Instead of having it square, I would have it this shape," he answered.
And he drew an oblong figure in the sand while I looked on.

"Yes," I said, "and if it ever swung sideways to the current it would
dam the river besides spilling us out."

"I would have a long steering oar on the stern and that would keep her
head to the current," he replied.

"Yes, you would have a jolly time where there was cross currents. It
would take about ten horse power to steer it."

"It's a lot better than yours," he said.

No doubt that was correct enough, but I did not take any pride in my
ability as a ship constructor. Jim was yet to be heard from. And
doubtless he would have improvements on both our designs. There was no
question but there was room for them.

We went to work again at our task of hollowing the logs. We went at it
fiercely because we wanted to accomplish something before dark. It was
almost sunset now. Then we heard Jim's voice.

"Gee! Haw! Buck! Get up, Piute! Coyote!"

"By Jove, he's snaking down a big timber with our old plugs. Where do
you suppose he got it?" exclaimed Tom.

"Swiped it from our next neighbors," I suggested. "It must have been
part of the foundation, from the size of it."

"Hey, Jim, where did you corner that?" Tom yelled.

Jim did not deign to reply until he had brought the big timber alongside
of the other logs.

"I captured that over there on the other side of the valley," he
informed us proudly but indefinitely.

"Where did it come from?" I inquired.

"From some of the Union Pacific bridges, about six hundred miles above
here," he replied. "Some flood brought it down."

"It's a fine stringer," I commented.

"There's any quantity of good stuff in the drift over there," Jim said,
"boards and about everything else we need to make our old raft
shipshape. It's time to knock off work, boys, now; you have made a good
start on those logs."

"I'm going to wash off," I declared.

The rest followed my example. It was a close, hot evening and it felt
mighty refreshing to get into the river, for we had put in a hard day's
work and were dirty and sweaty, though we were not especially tired.

"Why don't you swim over to that rock, Jim?" I asked.

"Not for me," he said, shaking his head. "I know when I have had
enough."

We did not stay in the water long and i