Steve had never forgotten the scorn and sarcasm that marked the girl's
face and voice when she said that to him. It had come back to his mind
many times since that occasion; and he had kept aloof from all social
events ever since, because he did not mean to be snubbed again. And
even now, when he was picturing Bessie in real trouble, he kept telling
himself that he meant to make sure she was surely in danger of
drowning, or something like that, before he ventured to try and succor
her. "Because," Steve told himself, "once bit, twice shy; and not if I
know it will I ever give any girl the chance again to say I'm trying to
show off."

All the same his eyes seldom roved in any other quarter now but
down-stream, which was mute evidence that Steve was thinking about
other peoples' troubles besides his own.

"We couldn't do anything to help move this old raft closer to shore,
could we, Max?" Bandy-legs was suggesting.

"Hardly, though I'd like to first-rate," he was told; "but it's too
cumbersome for us to move it, even if we pulled off some boards to use
as paddles. So it looks as if we'd have to trust to luck to take us in
the right quarter for making our escape."

"Well, we can be ready, and if the chance comes, make the plunge,"
Bandy-legs continued, "We're all so wringing wet as it is that if we
had to jump in and swim a piece it wouldn't hurt any. Just remember
that I'm ready if the rest of you are. I'm not caring any too much for
this sort of a boat. It keeps on turning around too many times, like a
tub in a tub race, and you never know what minute you're going to be
dumped out, if it takes a notion to kick up its heels and dive."

"Don't look a g-g-gift horse in the m-m-mouth, Bandy-legs!" advised
Toby.

Steve was manifesting more and more restlessness.

"Max, you've been down this far before, I reckon, even if most all our
camping trips were to the north and west of Carson?" he asked, turning
to the leader.

"Yes, several times, to tell you the truth," admitted Max; "but with
the flood on, things look so different ashore that it's pretty hard to
tell where you are. Why do you ask me that, Steve?"

"Do you remember whether there's a bend about a mile or so above the
French farm house?" continued Steve.

After reflecting for several seconds Max gave his answer.

"Yes, you're right, there is; and I should say it must lie about a mile
or so this side of the place."

"I was trying to figure it all o