annels, or it may
chance to strike the deep channel, and go away right out into the Gulf
of Florida, and then the barnacles will get hold of it, and it will
drift and drift till at last it will get heavier than the water, and
then down it will go to the bottom and lie there till there ain't no
more left of it. No, lad, there ain't no more life for that tree."

"May be it will wash ashore near the city, or some plantation," Frank
said, "and be hauled up and cut into timber, or perhaps into firewood.
After all, the useful life of a tree begins with its fall."

"Right you are, lad; yes, that might happen, and I am glad you put it in
my mind, for somehow I have always had a sorter pity for a tree when I
see it sweeping down in a flood like this. Somehow it's like looking at
a drowned man; but, as you say, there's a chance of its getting through
it and coming to be of use after all, and what can a tree wish better
than that? But we had best be hauling the boat up to the tree and
shifting the rope up the trunk a bit; it's just level with the water
now, and was nigh eight feet above when we tied it yesterday. I tell you
if this goes on there will be some big floods, for it will try the
levees, and if they go there ain't no saying what damage may be done in
the plantations."

All day the wind blew with unabated fury, and when evening came on
Frank thought that it was increasing rather than diminishing in force.

"Let's have a glass of grog and tumble in, my lad," Hiram said, "it
gives one the dismals to listen to the wind." They had scarcely wrapped
themselves in their blankets when the boat swayed as if struck by an
even stronger blast than usual; then there was a sudden crash, which
rose even above the howling of the gale.

"What's that?" Frank exclaimed, sitting up.

"It's the tree," Hiram began; but while the words were in his mouth
there was a shock and a crash, the roof of the little cabin was stove
in, and the boat heeled over until they thought it was going to capsize.
Frank was thrown on to the floor with the violence of the shock, but
speedily gained his feet.

"What has happened?" he exclaimed.

"The tree has gone," Hiram said; "I have been looking at it all the
afternoon, but I didn't want to scare you by telling you as I thought it
might go. It's lucky it didn't fall directly on us, or it would have
knocked the boat into pieces. The door is jammed. Get hold of that
hatchet, lad, and make a shift to get you