ot against a little branch, and was jerked forward so violently into
the boat that in their efforts to save me they made her give a great
lurch, and she began to rock violently, and nearly sent two of them
overboard. The next minute we saw that she had been driven clear of the
boughs which held her and was floating away, but at the same moment the
branches above us began to descend slowly, for the tree was rolling
over, the buoyancy of the boat wedged in among the branches having kept
it stationary so long.

"Our position was now terribly dangerous, for the size and force of the
boughs were sufficient, with the impetus they now had from being in
motion, to drive us right under, an accident which meant death if we
could not escape, but in their desperation the men seized the oars, and
by pushing against the tree thrust the boat so far toward the clear
water that we were only brushed by the outer twigs and thinnest parts as
we were caught by the swift stream and went on down at a tremendous
rate.

"It was not until night was drawing near that we thought of making fast
to a tree at the side where we could rest for the time and then start
back in the morning to reach you again as soon as we possibly could, for
I knew you would be fancying still that I was dead, and that the men had
forsaken you. So we had a meal, and I set the watches, meaning to see
to the men taking their turn. Then, feeling tired out, I lay down for a
few minutes to rest, but--I dropped asleep."

"'Course you did," said Shaddy sourly.

"And when I awoke in a fright the sun was shining, the men were all
asleep at the bottom of the boat, and we were spinning down the river as
hard as we could go."

"Sarved you all right if you'd been upset," growled Shaddy. "That would
have woke some of you up."

"Don't scold me, Shaddy," said the lad humbly. "I know I ought not to
have gone to sleep, but I thought I could trust the men."

"Thought you could trust them?" cried the old sailor. "Why, you
couldn't even trust yourself!"

"No," said Joe humbly.

"Why, Mr Brazier, the pains I've took to make a seaman of that young
chap, no one knows. I only wonder as they weren't all wrecked and
drowned," protested Shaddy.

"Let him go on, Naylor."

"Ay, go on, Mr Jovanni. If there's anything more you ought to be
ashamed on, speak it out and get it over. You'll be better after."

"Isn't he hard upon me, Rob?" said Joe, smiling.

"Yes, but it all turned