or
of stopping for an hour or two. We are too near home to risk disaster."

This arrangement was satisfactory to all except Nugget, and he made no
outward remonstrance.

For the next two hours all went well, and mile after mile was swiftly
traversed. The boys kept in mid-channel so as to reap the fullest
advantage from the current.

They looked back from time to time, but neither saw nor heard anything
alarming. The smooth yellow flood glided between the wooded banks with
scarcely a murmur.

About midday the creek turned a sharp angle, and headed due north in a
straight course of fully half a mile. Beyond the steep hills that
terminated this stretch the boys could see the distant blue line of the
mountains.

The fears of the morning had vanished, and all were in buoyant spirits.
The home-coming loomed brightly before them now, for with such a current
the Susquehanna would soon be reached.

On the left hand side of the creek stretched a sloping hill, wooded for
a distance of two or three hundred yards as it receded from the water,
and then merging into open fields. On the right was a rugged cliff full
of limestone rocks and scrawly pine trees.

The boys did not pay much attention to their surroundings, but when they
were nearly half way to the bend, Randy happened to glance toward the
left, and on the very crest of the hill, a good quarter of a mile from
the water, he saw a little white farmhouse.

There was nothing in this to attract his attention, but as his gaze
lingered he saw a man come out on the porch and glance up the creek,
shading his eyes with his hand. Then he turned toward the house, and an
instant later two women and another man appeared and looked in the same
direction.

This was growing interesting, and Randy called the attention of his
companions to the farmhouse. What happened next was stranger still. The
little group on the porch suddenly caught sight of the canoes far below
them, and one of the men darted quickly into the house. He reappeared a
second or two later with a shiny object in his hand, and placing it to
his mouth he blew a shrill discordant blast that echoed far over the
hills.

He repeated this twice, and then all of the group began to shout and
wave their hands.

The boys glanced at one another in amazement. What was the meaning of
such an idiotic performance?

Suddenly Ned turned pale.

"Great Scott!" he exclaimed. "The dam must have broken, and those people
can see th