better, I will remain on shore."

We thanked him for his self-denial, and I was about to propose leaving
True with him, when the dog settled the point by jumping in. John and I
shoved off, and paddled on with all our might. Now that we had fewer
people on board, we made much better way than before, and floated
buoyantly over the mimic seas which met us. We had marked the direction
of the object we had seen. From the water it was at first scarcely
visible. As we went on we again caught sight of it. How anxiously we
watched it! One moment I thought it must be the raft, the next I was
afraid it was but the trunk of a tree, or a flat island of grass. How I
longed for a spy-glass to settle the point, but unfortunately we
possessed none. For some minutes neither John nor I spoke.

"Harry!" he exclaimed, at length, "I see some one waving. Yes, yes; I
am sure it is the raft!"

I strained my eyes to the utmost. I too thought I saw people on the
object ahead of us. If people they were, they were sitting down though.

"Probably Domingos is afraid of standing up," said John. Then I
remarked this to him. "I am glad the wind is across the river instead
of up it, or it would be fearfully dangerous for them."

"Then you do think it is the raft?" I asked.

"I am sure of it," answered John.

We redoubled our efforts. Every instant the object grew clearer and
clearer. We could scarcely be deceived.

"Heaven be praised!" exclaimed John; "I see Ellen and Maria, one on each
side, and Domingos working away with his paddle at one end. They are
trying to come towards us."

I saw them too, and could even make out Nimble, and Toby, and Poll, and
Niger. My heart leaped with joy. In a few minutes more we were up to
the raft.

"We will not stop to ask questions," exclaimed John, as we got
alongside. "Here, Maria; hand me your painter, and we will secure it to
ours, and tow you back to the north bank. You must tell us what has
happened as we go along."

"Oh, but Arthur! why is Arthur not with you? Has anything happened to
him?" exclaimed Ellen.

"No; he is all right," answered John, pointing to the shore.

While he was speaking, we transferred our painter to the stern of the
canoe, and secured it as a tow-rope to the raft. We put the canoe's
head the way we wished to go, and paddled on. The wind was in our
favour; and Domingos, with Ellen and Maria, worked away with their
paddles also on the raft. We were exe