ain that the automobile had broke down when he struck
the flat, and he couldn't get no further. He'd been honkin' and howlin'
for ten year at least, so he reckoned.

"'Why in time,' says I, 'didn't you mind me and go up the ocean side?
And why in nation didn't you go ashore and-- But never mind that now.
Let me think. Here! You set where you be.'

"As I shoved off in the dory again he turned loose a distress signal.

"'Where you goin'?' he yells. 'Say, pard, you ain't goin' to leave me
here, are you?'

"'I'll be back in a shake,' says I, layin' to my oars. 'Don't holler so!
You'll have the life-savers down here, and then the joke'll be on us.
Hush, can't you? I'll be right back!'

III

"I rowed up channel a little ways, and then I sighted the place I was
bound for. Them gov'ment folks had another shanty further up the
Cut-through. Moored out in front of it was a couple of big floats, for
their stone-sloops to tie up to at high-water. The floats were made of
empty kerosene-barrels and planks, and they'd have held up a house easy.
I run alongside the fust one, cut the anchor-cable with my jack-knife,
and next minute I was navigatin' that float down channel, steerin' it
with my oar and towin' the dory astern.

"'Twas no slouch of a job, pilotin' that big float, but part by steerin'
and part by polin' I managed to land her broadside on to the auto. I
made her fast with the cable ends and went back after the other float.
This one was a bigger job than the fust, but by and by that gas-wagon,
with planks under her and cable lashin's holdin' her firm, was restin'
easy as a settin' hen between them two floats. I unshipped my mast,
fetched it aboard the nighest float, and spread the sail over the
biggest part of the brasswork and upholstery.

"'There,' says I, 'if it rains durin' the night she'll keep pretty dry.
Now I'll take the dory and row back to the shanty after some spare
anchors there is there.'

"'But what's it fur, pard?' asks Billings for the nine hundred and
ninety-ninth time. 'Why don't we go where it's dry? The flood's risin'
all the time.'

"'Let it rise,' I says. 'I cal'late when it gets high enough them
floats'll rise with it and lift the automobile up too. If she's anchored
bow and stern she'll hold, unless it comes on to blow a gale, and
to-morrow mornin' at low tide maybe you can tinker her up so she'll go.'

"'Go?' says he, like he was astonished. 'Do you mean to say you're
reckonin' to save t