e done at once, what a likelihood there
is that we may never have a chance to do it.

CHAPTER III.

A MUD-BESPATTERED ARRIVAL FROM CALIFORNIA.

Acting upon the suggestion contained in Elta's note, Winn lighted a
fire in the galley stove, and was soon enjoying its cheery warmth.
When the tea was heated, he ate heartily of the supper so thoughtfully
provided by the dear girl, and his heart grew very tender as he thought
of her and of her unwearying love for him. "I ought to go and find her
this very minute," he said to himself; "but I must get dry first, and
there probably isn't any fire up at the house."

To while away the few minutes that he intended remaining on the raft,
Winn got one of the books of exploration from a shelf in the little
after-room, and was quickly buried in the heart of an African forest.
Completely lost to his surroundings, and absorbed in tales of the wild
beasts and wilder men of the Dark Continent, the boy read on and on
until the failing light warned him that his lamp was about to go out
for want of oil.

He yawned as he finally closed the book. "My! how sleepy I am, and how
late it must be," he said. "How the wind howls, too! It sounds as if
we were going to have a storm. I only hope it will bring plenty of
rain and high-water. Then good-bye to home, and hurrah for the great
river!"

By this chain of thought Winn was again reminded of Elta, and of the
forgiveness he had meant to secure from her that evening. "It is too
late now, though," he said to himself. "She must have gone to bed long
ago, and I guess I might as well do the same; but I'll see her the very
first thing in the morning."

With this the tired boy blew out the expiring flame of his lamp, and
tumbled into his bunk, where in another minute he was as sound asleep
as ever in his life.

In the mean time the high-water for which he hoped so earnestly was
much nearer at hand than either he or any one else supposed. The storm
now howling through the pines had been raging for hours about the
head-waters of the creek, and the deluge of rain by which it was
accompanied was sweeping steadily down-stream towards the great river.
Even as Winn sat by the stove reading, the first of the swelling waters
began to rise along the sides of the raft, and by the time the storm
broke overhead the _Venture_ was very nearly afloat.

Although Winn slept too soundly to be disturbed by either wind or rain,
the storm awoke Major Cas