m the lower deck, and fell sprawling.
Another sprang overboard, and climbed in, dripping. But Charley was
relieved to see, among the lucky ones worming down the rope-ladder, his
father. Hurrah for dad!

Mr. Adams was none too early. The boatmen were jabbering and dodging
and shouting. Already the dugout was loaded with its twenty, but the
rope-ladder was as full as ever. Out from the ship's side shoved the
big canoe, its captain shaking his head vigorously at the passengers
above and yelling: "No! No!" while his men began to ply their paddles.

Now there was a splash in the water, and a chorus of cries and
laughter. A passenger who was bound not to be left had dived
overboard, after the canoe. Up he rose, to the surface, and struck
out. He was the long-nosed man, Mr. Jacobs!

"Wait! Wait! Man overboard!" rang the excited shouts to the dug-out;
and Mr. Jacobs himself, swimming as high as he could, waved an arm and
shouted.

But the crew of the dug-out only looked back and laughed; their
captain, steering, shook his head and motioned no; and faster and
faster traveled the canoe. The long-nosed man swam hard for a little
way, when, giving up, he turned and came back to the ship.

The passengers gave him a round of applause mixed with laughter, as he
clambered aboard; but leaning over to watch, Charley saw him pause at
the rail and shake his fist after the retreating dug-out. He was not a
good loser.

"Well, _he's_ left, anyhow," greeted Mr. Grigsby, when Charley hastened
back to find him and tell him. Mr. Grigsby was so tall, that he had
seen as well as Charley, who was little and could squeeze about under
people's arms. "It's a wonder. That kind of person usually swipes the
best seat."

"I'm glad, aren't you?" answered Charley. "Maybe we won't have any
more trouble with him."

"Humph! Can't count on that yet," asserted Mr. Grigsby.

"My father didn't get left. He's in the boat, all right," said
Charley, proudly.

"Yes. I knew he'd make it. Now as soon as we can get ashore we'll
start up-river."

But nothing was done aboard the _Georgia_, toward landing the
passengers, until another hour. Then suddenly the word spread: "Get
your baggage. Everybody ashore," and the sailors began to lower the
boats.

By the fight for place, that again occurred, anybody would have thought
that the ship was sinking and that only those people who got into the
boats at once would be saved! The parties who