It was a strange spectacle that the three boy friends looked upon as
they stood on the street corner that Saturday morning. Water had
already invaded many of the buildings in the lower section of the town,
and in every direction could be seen excited families moving their
household goods to higher levels.

Horses and wagons were at a premium that morning, and from the way
things looked just then it might not be long before every boat that was
owned within five miles would be needed to rescue people imprisoned in
their homes, or to carry valuable goods out of the reach of the
terrible flood.

The three young fellows whom we meet on this dark morning in the
history of the enterprising little town of Carson were chums who had
for many moons been accustomed to spending their vacations together in
the woods, or on the waters. In all they were five close friends, but
Owen Hastings, a cousin of Max, and who had made his home with him, was
at present away in Europe with another uncle; and Steve Dowdy happened
to be somewhere else in town, perhaps helping his father remove his
stock of groceries from his big store, which being in the lower part of
town was apt to suffer from the rising waters.

In previous volumes of this series we have followed the fortunes of
these chums with considerable pleasure; and those who have been
fortunate enough to have read one or more of these stories will need no
further introduction to the trio. But while they may have passed
through numerous exciting episodes in the days that were gone, the
outlook that faced them now seemed to promise even more thrilling
adventures.

No wonder all of them showed signs of excitement, when all around them
men and women were moving swiftly to gather up their possessions, or
standing in groups watching the swiftly passing flood, if their homes
chanced to be safely out of reach of the river's utmost grip.

A heavy wooden bridge crossed the river at Carson. This had withstood
the floods of many previous Springs, but it was getting rather old and
shaky, and predictions were circulating that there was danger of its
being carried away, sooner or later, so that the more timid people kept
aloof from it now.

The four chums had only a short time before returned from an Eastern
camping trip up amidst the hills about fifteen miles from town. They
had experienced some strange adventures while in camp, most of which
hinged upon an event that had taken place in