h
the logs down in the river," said Dot, looking down at some logs lying
halfway in the water.

"How could we manage--let me see! We could get out on that raft and
stand on that to push the logs out," suggested Don.

"Sure! We'll pull the raft up to the bank by the chains, an' then push
her out again with our peavies."

So the two scrambled down from the logs and hunted about for two long
sticks that would answer for the peavies the timber-jacks used. After
finding two desirable poles, the twins ran down to the river to pull in
the raft.

This was not quite so easy as it would seem, for the logs were
water-soaked after a long winter in the water, but after a long tiresome
haul they brought the raft near enough to board it by climbing out over
a huge cake of ice.

"But we can't reach the logs from here!" cried Dot, finding that they
were on the other side of the ice-cake.

"We'll have to shove that iceberg out into the river," said Don, looking
about for the best channel to work through.

"Let's push our raft up behind it and then we can push the ice easier,"
advised Dot.

This was sensible, so both children pushed their peavies into some
smaller ice floes and managed to move the ponderous raft into a position
so the large ice-floe could be moved. The ice was thick and the weight
of it made it sink down low in the water, but after many breathless
efforts it was moved out of the way far enough to permit the twins to
work the raft in closer to shore. Here they met with a new difficulty,
for the logs were still clinging to the ground with frost and were not
to be coaxed into the water.

"If we only had cant-hooks so we could yank them in!" sighed Dot.

"Guess I'll have to jump ashore and try to tip one of those top logs
down," said Don, looking up at the pile they had sat upon.

"Pooh! you can't budge them a mite! It takes two men with hooks to pull
them out," said Dot.

Nevertheless, Don made up his mind to get _one_ log in the river at any
cost. He couldn't stand the thought of being defeated by an inanimate
log.

He found that, the large ice-floe being out of the pathway to shore, he
would have to jump from one small cake to another and follow the bank of
the river until he reached a small land-jetty about fifty feet down
stream.

This he did while Dot watched him breathlessly, expecting every moment
to see the ice sink and slide him into the stream.

Don reached the bank in safety and then ran back