nd busied myself looking for specimens among the shingles and
small stones on the shore.

I always took advantage of every opportunity to get ashore, while Jim
stuck to his boat like a barnacle and if he had been allowed his choice,
he would never have set foot off from her.

"You can see where the boat's entire side has been scraped," I said,
"she certainly looks like she has been through a battle."

"That's where the rock we bumped into took the hide off," admitted Jim,
"but she's none the worse for wear," he continued. "'The Captain' will
take us through many a worse scrape than this."

I could not blame Jim for his confidence and he had a right to his pride
in her, for it was his skill that had made her a serviceable boat
instead of the clumsy raft Tom or I would have planned and constructed.

His success showed us the value of patient, hard work in preparing for
an expedition that was hazardous at the best and would have been
criminally reckless, if we had not had some one with a good head like
Jim's to guide us through. It wasn't boy's work.

CHAPTER XXIII

A CLOSE CALL

I had a nice time of it, looking for specimens. There is a fascination
about the search for some rare or precious stone.

You feel that the next step may bring it under your eye or that you may
overturn some stones and find it hidden underneath.

I moved along carefully, keeping my eyes intent in their search among
the small broken rocks and rounded pebbles. Suddenly my eye caught a
clear glitter and I stooped and picked up a beautiful crystal, with its
sharp cut sides and water clearness. A little later I picked up a green
stone that looked like jade, through it was not so clear. My last
specimen was a smoky topaz of mild, dark transparency.

I had been longer in my search than I realized, for I was so intent and
interested that I did not note how time was passing.

"All aboard, Jo," Jim yelled. "Hurry or you will be left."

Tom was already pulling up the bow anchor and Jim stood ready to hoist
the one at the stern.

"All right," I called back.

Then I stooped to look at a peculiar stone. I heard a cry of alarm and
glanced up.

"For heaven's sake, Jo!" was the startled cry that reached my ears.

It was all that Jim could say. I needed no warning. The boat was
drifting away from the shore, carried by the current rapidly towards the
outer river.

If I could not reach it, I was absolutely lost. The boat could not
retur