me to be along with you to do whatever I can."

"I knew you'd say that, Steve," observed the other, as though pleased
to hear such a hearty response to his mute appeal.

Then came the other two, wondering what the plan of campaign might be;
for even Shack Beggs, finding himself so strangely thrown in with these
boys whom in the past he had hated and scorned; was already as deeply
interested in the outcome as any of the chums might be; and Bandy-legs
no longer frowned at his proximity, for he could not forget how it was
Shack's strong hand that had helped him make a landing on the sloping
roof just a short time before.

They dropped inside the house, and immediately found themselves up to
their necks in water. Max took his bearings, and was pleased to
discover that the coil of clothes line still hung from the hook, the
water not having disengaged it as yet. Somehow the small success of
finding this seemed to give him renewed courage.

"Things are beginning to come our way, fellows!" he called out, as he
held the coil up above his head triumphantly.

"Hurray!" gurgled Toby, for it happened that just then he made a slip,
and had a mouthful of muddy water come aboard, almost choking him.

"And here's this door swung loose," called out Steve, who had been
working for several minutes, with the aid of Shack, to get the article
in question off its hinges.

"Wait till I tie one end of the line to it," Max told them, "and then
we can push it out and let it float behind the house. There isn't so
much strength to the current there, on account of the eddies."

This was speedily done, and the floating door anchored, thanks to the
friendly offices of the clothes line.

"That might do to hold up one of the girls," remarked Bandy-legs.

"It will," put in Steve, quickly; "and pretty fairly at that, because
Bessie isn't so very heavy, you know."

Well, no one blamed Steve for pre-empting the first raft for the use of
Bessie, because he had been chiefly instrumental in securing it.

"We ought to have two more, anyway," suggested Bandy-legs.

"And we'll get 'em, never fear," Steve assured him; "because there's
just that many in sight. Here, Shack, give me another lift, will you?
There isn't a fellow along got the strength in his arms you have, and
that's the truth."

Shack Beggs looked pleased. It must have been a novel sensation for
him to hear his praises sung by one of the chums of Max Hastings. They
had called down