e afternoon that the voyage, to the
delight of all, was resumed.

Ike Hardman was in more genial spirits than at any time since he joined
the company. He showed an eagerness to help, declining to yield the
pole when Jeff offered to relieve him, and ventured now and then upon
some jest with Roswell and Frank. Their distrust, however, was not
lessened, and they were too honest to affect a liking that it was
impossible to feel. They had little to say to him, and noticing the
fact, he finally let them alone. Whatever misgiving Jeff may have felt
was skilfully concealed, and the fellow could have felt no suspicion
that his secret was suspected by any member of the company.

The wind blew so strongly that there was some misgiving; but observing
that it came from the right quarter, the sail was hoisted, and as the
canvas bellied outward, the raft caught the impulse and began moving
through the water at a rate that sent the ripples flying over the
square ends of the logs at the front. All sat down on the upper
framework, with the exception of Jeff, who stood, pole in hand, at the
bow, ready to guide the structure should it sheer in the wrong
direction.

The conformation of the shore and a slight change of wind carried the
raft farther out on the lake. Observing that it was getting slightly
askew, Jeff pushed the long pole downward until his hand almost touched
the surface of the water. While holding it there the other end bobbed
up, having failed to touch ground.

"No use," he said, facing his friends, who were watching him, "the
bottom may be half a mile below."

"That looks as if we're over our hids," said Tim; "by which token, if
this steamer blows up we've got to swim for our lives, and I never
larned to swim a stroke."

The boys looked at him wonderingly.

"How is it you did not learn?" asked Roswell.

"I've tried hundreds of times. I kept in the water till me toes begun
to have webs between 'em, but at the first stroke me hid went down and
me heels up. I can swim in that style," he added gravely, "but find the
same slightly inconvanient owing to the necissity of braithing now and
thin. I tried fur a long time to braithe through me toes, but niver
made much of a succiss of it."

"And I learned to swim in one day," remarked Frank; "strange that you
should have so much trouble."

"Undoubtedly that's because yer hid is so light, while me own brains
weigh me down; it's aisy to understand that."

"If we should ha