THEY SAW HIM SCRAMBLE UP THE BANK, LIE FOR AN INSTANT
HALF EXHAUSTED, AND THEN COME RUNNING DOWN THE SHORE TO THEM]

They began to unload the heavier stuff, so they could cant the boat and
spill the bilge water out of her. The tarpaulin was thrown over some
willow bushes for a shelter, and under this they piled their grub
boxes and dunnage rolls. The beds were all in watertight canvas bags,
and so were their spare clothes, so matters might have been worse. The
guns could be dried, and the tarpaulin had kept the lighter articles
from washing away. In a little while they got the tent up, and then they
folded the wet tarpaulin for a floor and hurried their outfit inside,
damp but yet not ruined.

"Get some boughs to put inside," suggested their leader. "Get out that
little forced-draught oil stove and let's see if we can dry out. It's
going to be hard to get a fire on this island in this rain, for there's
nothing but willows. They're wet. Get the little stove going and pull
shut the flaps. When it gets a little warmer we'll open the bags and
change our clothes. And as John would say, that'll be that! But it's
only by mercy that we're here. You are right, Rob, this is the most
serious accident we have ever had together."

"Let's open a can of soup, and issue an extra gill of tea," said Rob.

They broke into a roar of laughter. Inside of half an hour the little
hut was steaming and they all were sitting on boxes eating their evening
meal. The storm, which had culminated in a fierce thunder gust, now was
muttering itself away.

Jesse went out and brought in the Flag from its staff on the boat.
"We'll have to dry her," he said. "She's silk, and fast colors."

"And I think my expeditionary force is all true blue!" added Uncle Dick,
quietly.

In the night Jesse waked them all by suddenly crying out in a nightmare.
Rob shook him awake.

"What's wrong, old top?" he asked.

"I guess I was scared," admitted Jesse, frankly, and pulled the covers
over his head.

CHAPTER X

AT THE PLATTE

On the morning following the storm the sun broke through the clouds with
promise of a clear, warm day. Our _voyageurs_ were astir early.

"Take it easy, fellows," counseled the leader. "We've got to 'sun our
powder,' as our _Journal_ would say. John, when you set down the day's
doings in your own journal, make it simple as William Clark would. It's
more manly. Well, here we are."

Rob looked ruefully at the wet willow thicket