stened to tell
him; "and we'll soon find a way to empty that water out, if only we're
lucky enough to lay our hands on that craft."

"But d'ye think it'll come this way?" asked Bandy-legs; "because I'm
ready to swim out after it if there's any chance of the bloomin' old
tub giving our crowd the go-by."

"We've _got_ to get it, that's all," said Max, firmly; "I'd go after it
myself if I thought it would miss hitting the house here. But let's
watch, and see how that comes out. And, Bandy-legs, slip that noose at
the end of the balance of the rope under your arms. If you do have to
swim out to waylay the boat, we can pull you back again whether you get
aboard or not."

"Now, that's a good idea, Max," Steve admitted. "It sure takes you to
think up the right thing at the right time and place. I don't reckon
there'll be such good luck as to be oars aboard a runaway boat; but
even 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 Steve
hearing her say this felt as though he ought to be the one to have that
noose fastened under his arms, rather than Bandy-legs, who could not
swim quite as good.

There was intense excitement on the roof of the imperiled farm-house
about that time. Every one of them seemed to be watching the coming of
that bobbing object as though the fate of the world depended on its
taking a direct course for the building standing alone in the flood.

"Seems like she was coming right along over the same course we did; how
about that, Max?" called out Steve, presently, as the boat drew
steadily closer to the fugitives of the wash-out.

"Yes, as nearly as I can decide that's what she's doing, Steve," Max
replied.

"Oh! let's hope so," Mazie remarked, with a tremor in her voice, that
told of quivering lips, and rapidly beating heart.

"Looky there!" burst out Bandy-legs just then; "if she ain't takin' a
shoot this way even while we're sitting here wishing for the same to
happen. I tell you she's going to hit the house ker-flop, too. No
need of anybody jumpin' over and swimmin' out to her. But I'll leave
the rope where it is, because I'll be in condition to roll off the
roof, and grab her before she c'n slide past."

Nearer and nearer came the boat. It was easy to see that the craft was
partly waterlogged, though still having her gunnels a considerable
distance above the water. Either the boat leaked terribly, or else