Sam, who had joined the crowd. "Once, after something went
wrong, he said he'd get square if it took a hundred years. I believe
he remembers that injury yet."

"He might do well, if he'd only settle down to something," said Fred.
"He isn't dumb, by any means."

"He is not smart, only cunning, Fred," answered Dick. "In regular
business I don't believe he'd ever make his salt."

"Do you think he is still following the houseboat?" was the question
put by Songbird Powell.

"I can't say as to that. If he is, he must hustle pretty lively, for
we are now making a good many miles a day."

After this conversation, the days had gone by swiftly and pleasantly
enough. Soon the broad Ohio River was left behind, and the houseboat
started down the Mississippi. Stops were made at various points, and
the young folks, as well as the two ladies, enjoyed themselves to
the utmost. They had a few friends in the South, and, when-ever they
stopped off to see these, they were treated with great cordiality.

"No more troubles of any kind for us," said Sam one day, but he was
mistaken. That very afternoon a lumber raft came close to hitting
the houseboat, frightening all who chanced to be on the deck at the time.

"Phew!" was Tom's comment. "No more such close shaves for me. That
raft might have smashed us to smithereens!"

Two days went by, and the boys and girls enjoyed themselves by going
fishing and by watching the sights on the river and along the shore.
The weather was ideal for the outing, and they had not a care until
the second big lumber raft came into sight, as mentioned at the
beginning of this chapter, and threatened, as the first had done, to
run them down.

CHAPTER II

THE BIG LUMBER RAFT

"Py chiminy! dot raft vos coming dis vay so sure like nefer vos!"
cried Hans Mueller, after an anxious moment had passed.

"We ought to warn 'em off with a shot-gun," growled Tom. "Even if
they don't hit us, they haven't any right to make my hair stand up
like quills on the fretful porcupine."

"Vot has der porkerpint to do mit your hair?" questioned Hans innocently.

"You'll soon find out--if that lumber raft hits us, Hansy. Got your
life insured?"

"Mine life insured?"

"That's it. If you haven't, better take out a policy for 'steen
dollars and some cents, payable at nine cents a week in advance."

"Tom, this is no joking matter," broke in Dick. "Be quiet, till I
use the megaphone."

"Dot's it!" cried Hans. "Use dot