himself in the
stern-sheets, and put his board in the scull-hole, and forced the boat
to the shore, though not without a great deal of difficulty and labor.
Fronklyn was on the lookout for it, and sprang lightly into the
fore-sheets, making a spring on his board stick. The current took the
boat, and no further exertion was necessary. They had escaped from the
fortifications, and they were satisfied.

CHAPTER XXV

A BOAT VOYAGE DOWN THE GREAT RIVER

The tender in which Deck Lyon and his companion had embarked was a
keel-boat such as is usually suspended by two ropes from either end to
the upper extremity of a pole, like an ensign staff. It was about
twelve feet long, and was not likely to upset, even in the turbulent
water at the middle of the river which drained the Cumberland Mountains
in the south-eastern part of the State.

Very heavy rains had been falling for several days, overflowing brooks
and creeks so as to make many of them impassable; and the great river
was swollen, though not to an unusual height in the rainy season. Deck
made no effort at first to direct the craft, for he was well-nigh
exhausted by the fatigues of the day and his efforts to escape from the
fortification.

He kept his seat in the stern-sheets, as Fronklyn did in the forward
part of the boat, which was still abreast of the camp, but well under
the high bank of the stream. The enterprise was a success so far, and
they were so well pleased to escape from the immediate vicinity of the
enemy that they were not disposed to do anything but rest themselves.
But in a few minutes they had recovered their breath, and ceased to
pant from their exertions.

Left to its own guidance, or that of the current, it had whirled about
two or three times; but Deck was too tired to be disturbed by this
movement. Their uniforms were wet through; for it had rained all the
afternoon and evening, and the tender had considerable water in her
bottom. Under any other circumstances they would have been very
uncomfortable; but their satisfaction at the escape from a prison or
prison-camp in the near future was the uppermost thought in their
minds, and for a time it banished the annoyance of wet and cold.

"If we whirl round like this it will make us dizzy," said the sergeant
as a mild joke. "What makes the boat do so?"

"The tender is so happy to get out of Confederate hands that it wants
to dance, and it is indulging in a waltz," replied Deck as another