hat whoever went
over there had done so by floating or swimming.

The crossing was so far above the point where the cascades began, that
nothing was to be feared from them. The clumsiest raft could be ferried
over by a child before it would drift into danger, while in case of
swimming, the peril was still less.

"If it wasn't so chilly," said Fred, "I would propose that we swim the
stream."

Terry shivered and shook his head.

"We must go over on a raft; it is not only cowld, but is gittin'
cowlder."

"There's a storm brewing; it looks as black as ink off yonder."

At this moment the boys made a discovery which both pleased and alarmed
them. Such a float as they needed was at their call. There lay a half
dozen logs and trees fastened together by several withes, and with
enough buoyancy to bear them to the other side. Even the pole to be used
in propulsion lay upon the heavy timbers that were pulled just far
enough against the bank to prevent them floating off with the current.

While it was pleasant to know that they would not have to go through the
labor of constructing any thing of the kind, yet there was a cause for
fear in the presence of the structure which led them to hesitate several
minutes before using it.

It proved that some one had crossed from the other side upon it, while
the withes were so white and fresh at the angles, where they were
twisted open, as to show that the raft had been made but a short time.

The natural question was as to who could have been coming from the other
way.

"I know," said Terry, compressing his lips and shaking his head.

"Who?"

"Winnebagos; they're so plintiful that it couldn't have been any one
ilse, for they wouldn't have had a chance."

"I suppose you are right," remarked Fred thoughtfully, "for they do seem
to be almost everywhere, though I can't understand why they should be
coming this way."

"Suppose there was but one of the spalpeens, and he'd been out on a
scout, and was on his way back to the rist of the spalpeens with the
news, would it be onraisonable to think he would take a little pains to
kaap his leggins and moccasins from gittin' damp enough to give him
cowld?"

"Well, I can think of no better reason than that, and am willing to
believe it is correct, but don't you see, Terry, that all this goes to
prove that we have lost a dangerous amount of time? We ought to have
been many miles further on the road than we are."

"The buffalo bull had