on. Max and his friends were
there, and Shack Beggs would sooner die than let them see he lacked the
stamina they were so freely showing.

All the same he looked anything but happy as he drew closer. It was
one thing to stand on a firm foundation ashore, and look out at the
heaving flood, and another to find himself there surrounded by the
waters, with but a slender thread connecting him with either bank, and
all that furious flood trying its best to break this asunder.

"Better come back, Shack!" could be heard in a rasping voice from the
shore, and Ossie Kemp was seen making a megaphone out of his two hands.

Shack would no doubt have liked to do this same thing; but he felt that
it must look too much like cowardice in the eyes of Max, whom he hated
so bitterly. Besides he had started out to show the people of Carson
that these four chums did not monopolize all the courage in town; and
it was really too late to turn back now.

So Shack came slowly on until he had reached the others.

Under ordinary conditions he would never have ventured to say a single
word to any one of the four chums; or if he did, it would have probably
been in the nature of an ugly growl, and some sarcastic comment on
their personal appearance, with the sinister hope of provoking a
dispute that might lead to a scuffle.

Things somehow seemed different now. Shack must have left most of his
pugnacious disposition ashore; when his nerves were quivering with each
sickening shake of the bridge he could not find it in him to assume his
customary boastful look.

And seeing Max close Shack even ventured to speak decently to him,
something he would never have dreamed of doing had the conditions been
other than they were.

"The fellers they sez I dassent cross over tuh t'other end uh the
bridge; an' I allowed it could be done easy like," he went on to say;
"what d'ye think 'bout me adoin' the same? Is she safe enough?"

"We wouldn't be here if we didn't think so," Max told him; "and I guess
there isn't any more danger on the other side than in the middle."

"T'anks!" Shack jerked out; and then as the bridge gave a little harder
quiver than usual he looked frightened, and even clutched frenziedly at
the railing.

Bandy-legs must have fancied that the other was reaching out to lay
hands on him, for he immediately shouted:

"Keep back there! Don't you dare touch a finger to me, or I'll see
that you go over the railing head-first! We're on