dcuff they had noticed on
the wrist of the smaller scamp.

"I wouldn't be surprised if they were miles away from here by now,"
said Max, with a knowing wink toward Toby, who chanced to be standing
near.

"Then they're more active than most tramps I've seen appeared to be,"
remarked Bessie; "but I do hope we meet Steve coming with some sort of
conveyance, because twenty miles over poor roads fills me with horror,
though I'll try the best I know how to keep up with the rest of you.
Think of poor little Mabel, though; she would be tired before we had
gone three miles."

"Never fear but what we'll get hold of some sort of vehicle, sooner or
later," Max assured her; "when we strike the road we are bound to run
across farms occasionally; and surely they will not all have been
deserted. Some of them must be on high land, and safe from the floods."

It was in this spirit that they said good-bye to the pleasant camp, and
turned their backs upon the modest but serviceable shack.

"I honestly believe it would shed rain like the back of a duck,"
Bandy-legs declared, proudly, as though satisfied to know that he had
had a hand in building the shelter.

"But we're all glad it wasn't put to the test," Mazie observed, as she
looked up at the clear sky with the greatest of pleasure.

It may not have mattered so much to the boys whether or not the rains
had stopped for good, but they could understand that there were hosts
of people who would be mighty thankful the morning had broken so
promising, for if clear weather prevailed the floods would of course
have a chance to go down.

Max had laid out his plans as well as he could, on the preceding night,
so that he was prepared to move right along the line of least
resistance; that is, from the conformation of the country, as marked
upon the little map he had drawn of the neighboring region, he meant to
select a route that would keep them away from the lowlands, now flooded.

They did not find any great difficulty in making fair progress,
although the little lame girl had to be assisted often. She was very
brave, however, and anxious to prove that she must not be looked on as
helpless.

Inside of an hour they had come upon a road, just as Max had figured
would be the case. So far nothing had been seen of Steve, though
according to promise they were careful to leave a broad trail behind
them, so that if he should visit the camp after their departure he
would find no difficulty