"And I'll help," said Tom, who had recovered rapidly from his
involuntary bath.

"We shall need a carpenter to make repairs," said Captain Starr, who
had been working to shove off the fallen tree. "This smash-up is a
pretty bad one."

The boys remained outside, and all went to work to remove the tree
trunk and to cover the hole with a heavy tarpaulin. It was a task
lasting the best part of an hour, and when it had come to an end,
the rain was slackening up.

"We shall certainly have to lay up somewhere for repairs," said Fred.
"We can't continue the journey in this condition."

"Let us hire a carpenter at the next town we stop at," suggested Sam,
and to this they agreed.

The mess in the cabin was left for Aleck to clean up, and then the
ladies and the girls straightened things out as best they could. As
soon as the storm cleared away, the journey down the Mississippi was
continued.

"I can't help but think of what might have happened if that stroke
of lightning had hit the houseboat," said Songbird. "It makes me shiver."

"We certainly had a narrow escape," answered Dora. "I never wish to
get quite so close to another stroke."

On the following day, they stopped at a place which I shall call
Ramontown. From one of the dock owners, they learned where they could
find a master carpenter, and they called upon this individual and
had him look at the damage done.

"I can fix up the craft as good as she ever was," said he. "But it
will take at least a week, and it will take several days more to give
her two good coats of paint."

The matter was talked over, and they decided to remain tied up and
have the houseboat put in first-class condition once more. Then Mrs.
Stanhope sent a long letter to her friends at Braxbury, stating she
would call with some others, and mentioned the houseboat trip.

Just twenty-four hours later, a middle-aged man came down to the
houseboat and shook hands warmly. His name was Carson Denton and he
was the husband of Mrs. Stanhope's friend.

"I am more than glad to see you," he said. "I just got your letter
to Clara, and as she wanted me to open any letter that might be at
the Braxbury post-office for her, I read it. We do not live in Braxbury
any longer, but further west, at a place called Silver Creek, where
I have a good-sized plantation."

"Is that so? When did you move, Mr. Denton?"

"Only a few weeks ago, which accounts for you not having known of
the change. I had a good ch