them."

Soon after this all hands sought their blankets, good-nights were said,
the fire died down, and all was quiet in the camp, though several times
some sleepy negro roused himself sufficiently to answer the owl's
repeated question of "Who's there?"

It must have been nearly midnight when the camp was startled by a
crash, a series of smothered cries, and a loud splashing in the water.
It was evident that something serious had happened, but what it was no
one could make out in the darkness.

CHAPTER VII.

ARRIVAL AT THE NEW HOME.

Some light-wood splinters were quickly thrown upon the smouldering
remains of the fire, and as it blazed up brightly, the lighter, in
which the whites had been sleeping, was seen to be on its beam ends.
One side rested high up on the bank and the other down in the mud at
the bottom of the river, just on the edge of the channel. Some little
distance down stream a sorry-looking figure, which was hardly
recognizable as that of Jan, was floundering through the mud and water
towards the bank. On the lower side of the lighter the canvas, that had
been spread like a tent over the afterpart, had broken from its
fastenings, and was now tossing and heaving in a most remarkable
manner. From beneath it came the smothered cries of the Elmers, who had
been suddenly wakened to find themselves mixed together in the most
perplexing way, and entangled in their blankets and the loose folds of
the canvas.

Captain Johnson seemed to be the only person who had his wits about
him, and who was in a condition to render any assistance. As soon as he
could pick himself up he made his way to the other end of the boat and
dragged the canvas from off the struggling family. First Mr. Elmer
emerged from the confusion, then Mrs. Elmer and Ruth were helped out,
and last of all poor Mark, who had been buried beneath the entire
family, was dragged forth, nearly smothered and highly indignant.

"It's a mean trick, and I didn't think--" he began, as soon as he got
his breath; but just then his eye fell upon the comical figure of Jan.
He was walking towards the fire, dripping mud and water from every
point, and Mark's wrath was turned into hearty laughter at this sight.
In it he was joined by all the others as soon as they saw the cause of
his mirth.

After the Elmers had been helped up the steep incline of the boat, and
were comfortably fixed near the fire, Captain Johnson and Jan, who said
he didn't mind mud