d away. They
involuntarily gripped the railing tenaciously, because they had the
last words of Max ringing in their ears; and no doubt it was this more
than anything else that enabled them to come through the adventure with
fair chances.

Max with his other hand had seized hold of Toby's arm, because they
happened to be close together at the time. So it was that when he
could catch his breath, after swallowing a gulp or two of muddy water,
he called out:

"Are you all right, Toby?"

"Y-y-yep, s-s-seems so, Max!" he heard close to his ear in reply.

"What about the others? Steve, Bandy-legs, how is it with you?"
continued Max, unable to see as yet, for his eyes were full of the
spray that had dashed around them at the time the bridge carried them
down.

Faint replies came to his ears, one from the left, and the other
welling up in the opposite direction; but they cheered the heart of the
leader greatly. It seemed almost like a miracle that all of them
should have come through with so little damage. Looking back
afterwards Max was of the opinion that much of this wonderful luck
resulted from the fact that when the bridge swung around and allowed
itself to be carried away it did not actually turn over.

They were being swept down-stream at a tremendous pace. Their strange
craft rose and fell on the heaving flood with a sensation that might
cause one to believe he had taken passage on the ocean itself, and was
about to endure the discomforts of sea sickness.

Turning to look toward the shore Max realized for the first time how
rapid was their passage; for when his eyes remained fixed on the water
itself, which was making exactly the same speed as their craft, he
seemed to be standing still.

"Max, oh! Max!" came in Steve's voice, a minute later.

"Hello! there, that you, Steve? Can't you make your way over here
closer to us?" was the answer Max sent back; for now he could manage to
glimpse the crouching figure from which the excited hail proceeded.

"Sure I can, easy as anything," Steve told him, and immediately
proceeded to work along the railing, which fortunately remained above
the water.

Bandy-legs had heard what was said, and from the other side he too came
crawling along, moving like a crab backward, for he wished to keep his
face toward the danger, since every dip of the whirling raft threatened
to allow the waves to overwhelm him, as his position was not so secure
as that of the others.

In