to your sly tricks,
Shack Beggs! You didn't come out here for nothing, I take it!"

Shack however had managed to overcome his sudden fear. He shot a black
scowl in the direction of Bandy-legs, and then once more started to
move along; but by now his timidity had over-mastered his valor, as was
made manifest in the way he kept moving his hand along the railing, as
though unwilling to try to stand alone.

Although they no longer had any reason to feel that the other meant
them any ill turn, the four chums watched him curiously.

"I'd just like to be able to give the bridge a good shake," Bandy-legs
declared, "to see him crumple up, and yell. Chances are it'd scare him
out of a year's growth."

"Huh! better not try any fool play like that," suggested Steve;
"because there's too much tremble to the old thing right now to suit
me. If Max only said the word I'd be willing to skip out of this,
that's right."

"S-s-s'pose we all did run for it," remarked Toby, who had been silent
a long time; "wouldn't Shack come c-c-chasing after us like h-h-hot
cakes, though?"

"We'll limit our stay to another five minutes, no more," Max told them.
"I put it at that because I believe before then we'll be able to say
whether that thing coming down the river is a raft with somebody
aboard, or just a jumble of logs, and stuff set afloat by the high
water."

Apparently none of the others had up to then noticed what Max referred
to, and consequently there was a craning, of necks, and a straining of
eyes, until Steve was fain to call out "rubber!" in his jocular way.

There was something in sight, far up the river. If they only had their
field glass along with them it would be easy to tell the nature of the
object; but lacking so useful an article they could only possess their
souls in patience, and wait.

The seconds passed, and all the while the current of the river was
bringing that object closer to them. Max found himself wishing it
would hasten, for truth to tell he did not much like the way the bridge
was trembling now. Instead of occasional vibrations it seemed to be a
steady pull, as though the force of the flood had reached a point where
it could not be much longer held back.

Some of those ashore were shouting to them again, as though their fears
had broken out once more, and they wished the boys would not persist in
taking such great chances, even though in a good cause.

A minute had gone.

"Looks like a raft to