nship with Winn on this river trip, and your
example, will be infinitely better for him than mine. I have noticed
that young people are much more apt to be influenced by those only a
few years older than themselves than they are by persons whose ideas
they may regard as antiquated or old-fogyish."

"Oh, papa, how can you say so?" cried Elta, springing up and throwing
her arms about his neck. "How can you say that you could ever be an
old fogy?"

"Perhaps I'm not, dear, to you," answered the Major, smiling at his
daughter's impetuosity; "but to young fellows mingling with the world
for the first time nothing pertaining to the past seems of any value as
compared with the present or immediate future. Consequently a
companion who is near enough of an age to sympathize with the pursuits
and feelings of such a one can influence him more strongly than a
person whose thoughts are oftener with the past than with the future."

"I can't bear to hear you talk so, husband," said Mrs. Caspar. "As if
our Winn wouldn't be more readily influenced by his own father and
mother than by any one else in the world! At the same time, I think
William's plan well worth considering, for I have hated the idea of
that raft trip for you. I have dreaded being left alone here with only
Elta, too, though I wouldn't say so when I thought there wasn't
anything else to be done."

With this unanimous acceptance of the young engineer's plan, it took
but a short time to arrange its details, and before dark everything was
settled. The Major was to leave for Madison the next morning, while
Billy Brackett was to start down the creek that very evening, so as to
be ready at daylight to begin his search for the missing raft at the
point where it had been last reported. By his own desire he was to go
alone in the skiff, except for the companionship of his trusty Bim, who
made a point of accompanying his master everywhere. The young man was
provided with an open letter from Major Caspar, giving him full
authority to take charge of the raft and do with it as he saw fit.

Both Mrs. Caspar and Elta wrote notes to Winn, and gave them to Billy
Brackett to deliver. The major also wrote a line of introduction to an
old soldier who had been his most devoted follower during the war. He
was now living with a married niece near Dubuque, Iowa, and might
possibly prove of assistance during the search for the raft.

Thus equipped, provided with a stock of provisi