ough without anchoring," said Morris with
a laugh.

"Wait a few minutes, my hearty; for I was not thinking of coming to
anchor just now," answered Scott, as he went forward to the stem, and
mounted the rail.

The anchor was stowed under the forward seat; and Clingman, after
overhauling the cable, passed it up to the captain. It was not very
heavy, and with a skilful toss he threw it just over the edge of the
barrier on the up-stream side. All wondered what he was going to do, for
they saw no way to get through by means of the anchor; but they were
willing to believe that the captain knew what he was about, and they
said nothing.

"Now pay out about fifty feet of cable," continued Scott, as he rang the
gong to back her. "Haul steady on it till you are sure it is fast in the
stuff, Clingman."

The seaman humored the cable till he was unable to haul the rope home,
and then reported the situation. The boat continued to back till the
cable was hauled taut, when he stopped her. Then he spoke through the
tube to the engineer, and rang the gong. The craft moved again, but very
gently, for Scott was afraid the anchor would not hold; but it did, and
speaking through the tube, he gradually increased the speed. The cable
swayed and groaned, and it was evident that a heavy strain was upon it.
The barrier was shaking and quivering under the pressure, and it was
plain that something would yield very soon.

"Hurrah!" shouted Felix, who was looking over the bow at the bridge of
pines; and the cry was repeated by the rest of the cabin party, and
taken up by the sailors. "Bully for you, Captain Scott! Upon me wurrud,
ye's have skinned the muskitty!"

This demonstration was called forth by the rupture of the barrier in two
places, so that about one-half of it gave way, and was towed down stream
by the steamer. Scott kept the craft moving till he found a place in the
green banks of the river to leave the tow, for it was wide enough to
obstruct the channel.

"Clingman and Wales, jump on the raft with the boathooks, and crowd the
stuff over to the starboard side," said the captain when he had found
the place he wanted.

He stopped the boat, and then went ahead, to enable the men to get upon
the mass, after they had thrown a couple of boards upon it to stand on.
Backing her again, he hugged the starboard side of the stream, and drew
the raft abreast of the place, and close to it, where it was to be left.
The men on it hooked into th