out for the best," said his companion.

"I didn't think so then," continued Joe, "when I began to find that we
must have been gliding down the river fast all that night, and what I
had begun to find out then I knew more and more as we tried to work our
way back. We couldn't pole because the water was too deep, and we had
to work our way along by the trees, sometimes getting a little way up
the river and then making a slip and being swept down again for far
enough, till I gave it up in despair. The men worked till they could
work no longer. And all the time you were left alone without the guns
and fishing tackle and food, and it used to make me mad to have to use
any of the stores; so I made them fish all I could, and I did a little
shooting, so that we didn't use much."

"Oh, come," said Shaddy in a more agreeable tone, "that's the best thing
we've heard you say yet, Mr Jovanni. That's where my teaching comes
out, but don't you never say a word to me again about your seamanship!"

"But you are keeping him from telling us how he came and saved us just
as he did in the nick of time, Shaddy," said Rob.

"All right, sir, all right! won't say another word," cried the old
sailor querulously, "only don't let him get bragging no more about his
seamanship and management of a crew."

"I never will, Shaddy, and I hope I shall never be placed in such a
predicament again."

"How did you manage to get up the river?" asked Rob.

"Oh, that was easy enough as soon as the flood came; we should never
have got to you without; but as soon as the land was all flooded, I
found that we could get right away from the swift stream and keep along
at a distance, poling generally. Then we were able to take short cuts
across the bends. We did get caught now and then and swept back a bit,
but every day we made a good many miles, and at last as we were rowing
steadily on over the flooded land, which is a good deal more open below,
we neared the opening, and thought it was a good deal altered; but the
men said I was wrong. I felt sure that I was right, and had just come
to the conclusion that you must all have been swept away and drowned,
when I heard the hail, and you are all safe once more."

CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE.

PEACE IN THE FOREST.

The three sufferers had no illness to fight against, and began to regain
their normal strength very rapidly, while nature was hiding the
destruction wrought upon the face of the land at a rapid rat