oment to recover from his exertions, and then went up
the slope to the building, which was only a few yards away. It proved to
be a saw mill, and even in the somber gloom Ned could see that it was
very ancient and rickety, and had probably not been in use for many
years.

The locality was a wild and lonely one. Steep wooded hills lay on both
sides of the creek.

Further investigation showed Ned that the saw mill abutted on the corner
of the dam, and that a narrow sluiceway conducted the water to the
machinery. He could hear the splash and gurgle of the torrent as it
swept under the rotting timbers of the mill and rushed on to freedom
through the wasteway beyond.

As the depth of the latter was uncertain Ned crossed the sluice by a
shaky plank that spanned the sides, and found himself among thick
bushes at the foot of a steep hill. He was tempted to go back and seek
shelter in the mill, for his limbs ached with weariness, and his wet
clothes chilled him at every step.

But first it was important that Randy should be found, so he pushed
along the edge of the creek in the rain until he obtained an open view
of the channel for some distance ahead.

The first glimpse rewarded him for his pains. He spied a bulky dark
object about fifty yards up stream. It was approaching at a rapid pace
and hugging the shore closely.

Ned put two fingers in his mouth and emitted a shrill, piercing whistle.
It was answered in a similar manner, and a moment later the dark mass
resolved itself into Randy, the tent, and the two canoes.

"By jove, I'm glad to see you," exclaimed Randy in husky tones, as Ned
helped him to land. "I thought you were a goner this time, old fellow."

Ned hastily related his experience.

"It was a close shave," he concluded; "too close to be pleasant. But how
did you manage to get here with this heavy load?"

Randy laughed. "I had a time of it, I can tell you. I jumped out in the
water--it was only knee deep on that island--and dragged the whole tent
on the foredeck of my canoe. Then I paddled after the Pioneer, and
caught up with it near another submerged bar, where both the canoes
stuck again.

"This gave me a chance to right the Pioneer and throw most of the water
out of it. Then I slung the tent across both of them, tied the cockpits
together, and started off. Of course I could only paddle on the right
side, but I got along fairly well. The best of it is that I found your
paddle on the way down. The la